Hello, I need help. I have zillions of green sticker vines coming up. I have used dry molasses, and cut them down, pulled them up when and where I could. I cannot use corn gluten because I am trying to establish grass where there is bare soil. Any advice?

I have the same problem. I keep mowing them off. I gave up trying to pull them out. It seemed like the more I pulled, the more came up. I don't have an answer, but have you tried 10% or 20% vinegar?

If you're talking about green briar, you have to dig down deep enough to get the nut - that's what I call it, which is really not worth the effort. As Gar suggested, you just need to keep them cut and they will eventually starve...so they say.

BtW, Molasses is not a weed killer and corn gluten meal is only to prevent weed-seed germination.

I agree with the previous posts; continually mowing/cutting the vines is probably the most effective way to control them. If you use the vinegar, add orange oil & soap to the mixture. The vinegar by itself just rolls off the leaf. Using both the vinegar & cutting may hasten the demise of the plant. As far as I know, nobody has an easy answer to this problem. Don't be tempted to use Round-Up. It doesn't work, pollutes the soil/water & kills trees

What type of "soap" do you consider soap. My husband, who is not a converted organics, wants to use diesel. I am opposed to that solution.

Use any liquid soap such as dish-washing soap. There are liquid soaps that are more organically correct; maybe someone can list some. The liquid soaps containing orange or lemon oils may be better. The diesel might work short term but injures/kills/contaminates everything else in the area. Diesel does not solve the problem! Good Luck!

What is a green sticker vine? I have something that I have been digging up around my yard and looks like some sort of tuber and some very unwanted vine grows from this thing. Any idea what it could be? Is it the same thing?

Patri

I'm counting on goats to get rid of mine along a creek bed...

pakin

The green briar vine makes small leaves, eventually, but seems to be just thorns until it gets a pretty good size. You may have 'bind weed' also green but no thorns & it does have sort of heart-shaped leaves. Both are tenatious as a pit bull & I think mowing many times is probably the only way to get rid of either one. This is difficult for us b/c they are in areas that are hard to walk to, let alone get a mower there. I have worn out soooo many lopers! At least we can comiserate w/one another!
Patty

Yes, I have both. But, the green briar is the most troublesome...I have many, many more. Thanks for the sympathy. I feel for you too.

I have a vine that comes up in early spring that doesn't really have stickers, but sticks to my gloves as if glued. It is difficult to get rid of and returns every year in the yard and in beds. Any idea what it is and the best way to get rid of it?

I think the only good answer is to keep mowing these 'devil' vines. Pakin has it made w/goats, I think, but some of us cannot have goats where we live, etc. With the drought, I'm hoping a lot of our greenbriar/poison ivy/honeysuckle/wild grapevine has died forever!

Patty

Dear CRK,

Go to this site and see if this is your plant, http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53011/index.html.

I used to hate this weed also until I learned that pioneers used it to stuff their mattresses. That is why it is called Catchweed Bedstraw, and I've heard it helps keep bedbugs out of your bed. So it is a VERY useful plant if you are a pioneer : )

It is an annual and if you get the plants pulled out before it blooms and seeds, then you can significantly reduce the quantity you will see the next year.

Hope this helps,

Mary