What I did at my house today...

[Don M]

An invasive species? I wonder where it came from?

[phil]

maybe one tactic could be to look at what the ivy is competing with and plant that?

our summer place is plagued with willow. not weeping willow. every year I cut it and return and it's as tall as me. they do turn to trees. so far I have just been renting a commercial weed eater with a blade and cutting it down but it grows faster than I can keep up. a flail mower might work well bu tthye are thousands. all the bits cut off want o grow as willow will grow from any stick , it roots easily.

I'd like to know if maybe I can flood the land in the fall or something like that? Its probably great stuff for basket weaving and things like that. Its near the lake so pesticides are iffy. If I rent big machinery I have to be careful with environmental damage. If I don't do anything then we loose our lake frontage. Its about 1200 feet but I would be happy to keep 100 feet clear.
Ive been looking for a good used weed whacker so I don't have to rent one but they are expensive and the little garden ones from the big box store aren't big enough. I really could use the biggest weed whacker I can get. If I use a chainsaw it works but you know you hit the dirt once and the blade is dull. Its an uphill battle.

[Texas_Ranger]

An invasive species? I wonder where it came from?

Interesting question! The article claimed (without providing any details) that the plant wouldn't spread on its own here but I'm not so sure about that. If it's indeed true the plant they found must have been planted by someone and that seems quite odd!

We do have an invasion of Japanese knotweed here in Austria. After reading about it on the web (a blog from Sweden) I suddenly noticed it in two gardens, one on the next block and one right next door. So far it hasn't spread into our garden but the nighbours aren't doing anything about it. That's one horribly invasive species! Grows up to 4 m in height, spreads at light speed and is almost impossible to kill (Roundup won't do a thing). Apparently it's such a huge issue in the UK that they already have specialised companies that remove all soil down to 3 m depth to get rid of every single bit of the root system!

[Don M]

I don't know why poison ivy won't grow in Austria; it grows like crazy all over the eastern US. I have huge vines growing up the trunks of trees here in Pennsylvania.

[Mick_VT]

We do have an invasion of Japanese knotweed here in Austria.

It is a big problem in Vermont as well, I'm not aware of anybody who has come up with a good solution for it, or the wild chervil or virginia creeper that are plaguing us too. I do seem to recall a neighbor had some success with heavy black plastic and stones over the knotweed bed, but I'm not sure it was 100%

On the plus side I have been told it is edible lol

[Ober51]

I am battling knotweed. We dug up a ton of it. Now we cut the small stalks and immediately spray roundup down the shute. We collect all clippings as they also root easily. Horrible stuff, comes back quick. I've heard that if I do this for years, I will win. It is a battle of attrition!

[Texas_Ranger]

I do seem to recall a neighbor had some success with heavy black plastic and stones over the knotweed bed, but I'm not sure it was 100%

The Swedish blogger I was talking about didn't have much success with that. Either the plant migrates past the tarp via the root system or the shoots even just push up the plastic! He's been doing almost everything he can for the past six years but still keeps getting new shoots all over the place. Incredible stuff! I think the city managed to get rid of one infestation in Vienna for good though - I'm not 100% sure it was knotweed but I think I know a fool who planted(!) some of it on a strip of grass on a street corner (city property). Grew several metres tall but then just disappeared and hasn't returned for a few years.

I can't see why poison ivy shouldn't spread on its own here either once it's been imported but that's what the article claimed.

[ratherhaverain]

I don't think you want to try flooding the willow--they are water-loving plants. A willow tree sent out roots an amazing distance to tap into and clog our sewer line. And probably no drought predicted anytime soon in your area.

Got moose? Willows are on their menu. Or maybe a smaller version like a goat LOL!

[Gothichome]

Did a little grading work by the back door, been wanting to get to it for a few years. Now hopefully the leaky Eve troughs will drain away from the home. Straightened out upper managements secrete garden now that the roofers are done, built a little raised area out of old bricks to get the BBQ's out of the mud. Just another weekend of puttering.

[Sinoed]

Well I spent literally hours scraping and stripping one of my few remaining original windows. The frame is in surprisingly excellent shape. I have to figure out how to get rid of the rest of the putty although I've got most of it out now. This is one of a pair in my living room.

The exterior frame is somewhat scary - I think the heat gun will be my friend unfortunately I'll be on top of a ladder though.