Advice on an area filled with vines. (grown, Honeysuckle, grass)

[Sal_M]

I am a novice a gardening and yard maintenance but have been doing fairly well with one exception. The back of our property borders to woods and stream buffer, we have no fence. The yard is clear but one corner is a problem. The previous owners let it get over grown with Honeysuckle, Greenbrier and Poison Ivy. We had some dead trees removed from the corner and scraped all the surface vines, but the roots run deep. The woods behind our property are loaded with Poison Ivy (multiple hairy vines) and Greenbrier so I realize this is going to be a constant battle to some degree. The area is fairly shaded and I am looking for suggestions as to how to eliminate the vines from coming back due to roots left behind. I could try to grow grass or mulch the area but would it be wise to lay a tarp to suffocate the poison ivy and greenbrier that is lingering? Thank you for your help.

[luv4horses]

Just keep at it with your removal program. Spray with RoundUp weed killer in the fall, when the ivy has the first hint of red, and then again in the spring when the leaves are small and more delicate looking. It might take a while, but you will eventually be successful. Also, the hairy poison ivy in trees can be cut off near ground level with loppers. One unfortunate thing is that birds can drop poison ivy seed, so it will keep trying to re-establish itself and you will need to always keep an eye out.

You can also keep the area mowed in summer if the area is flat enough. All this will serve to starve it out and the roots themselves will eventually die.

[Sal_M]

Originally Posted by luv4horses

Just keep at it with your removal program. Spray with RoundUp weed killer in the fall, when the ivy has the first hint of red, and then again in the spring when the leaves are small and more delicate looking. It might take a while, but you will eventually be successful. Also, the hairy poison ivy in trees can be cut off near ground level with loppers. One unfortunate thing is that birds can drop poison ivy seed, so it will keep trying to re-establish itself and you will need to always keep an eye out.

You can also keep the area mowed in summer if the area is flat enough. All this will serve to starve it out and the roots themselves will eventually die.

We have an area on the side that we keep mowed where occasionally some pops us. The area in the back can't be mowed. We did get rid of one hairy vine just past the property line but the others are further back in woods, that's why I think we are going to get runners even if we get rid of everything on our property. I will keep up with the brush killer, I was trying to avoid using it as much as possible and dig out or smother what we could. Thank you for the tips.

[Butterfly4u]

Sal,
Brush Be Gone.
Every year, because that stuff will grow back forever.
I don't think you will ever really get rid of all of it.

[DragonflyMom]

Round-up every time you see new growth trying to start up. The plants will eventually die from lack of nutrients.

[Sal_M]

Thank you all!