Intrusive Brush: Rid Your Yard of Poison Ivy, Grape Vines, Sumac and Unwanted Wild Plants

Wild grape vines are invasive and almost impossible to get rid of (photo A). Year after year, a homeowner can cut down the vines invading their fence line, electrical lines or other parts of their property, only to have the vines grow back thicker and stronger than ever. Anyone experiencing a problem with Wild Grape Vines, Poison Ivy, Honeysuckle, Sumac, Elderberry, Box Elder, Oak, Willow, Yaupon and about 75 other types of intrusive trees, grapevines and brush, will be happy to know that there is a product available to help you rid your yard of the plants responsible for driving many property owners crazy.

I went to my local garden shop looking for the product called Vine-X (photo B), after hearing a garden expert on a local radio show suggest to someone calling in. Even though I was skeptical, I decided to find the product, purchase it and put it to the test. I was able to locate the product at the first garden shop I visited and paid the $24.97 asking price. Following are my results, with my do it yourself instructions and results.

Needed Supplies: Hedge clippers or pruner, Chemical resistant gloves, long sleeve shirt, long pants, Vine-X Vine and Brush Control Product

Step 1 Read product Instructions and Precautionary Statement Thoroughly Prior to Beginning

Step 2 Cut away enough of the grapevines near the base of the woody stem coming from the ground, where the vines grow from. Make sure you look to see if there are more than one main stem, so that you can access all of them. I found my 40 foot fence line to actually have 3 main wild grapevine stems. Cutting away some of the growth will make it easier for you to access the stem to apply the Vine-X Vine Control product using the brush tip applicator (photo C)

Step 3 Make sure you are wearing long pants, long sleeve shirt, shoes and neoprene or chemically resistant gloves. Following the direction on the instructions, open the Vine-X and apply the product directly to the lower woody part of the grapevine or tree stem (photo D), being careful not to get any liquid on your skin. Apply the product according to the instructions given with the product, making sure to put enough of the Vine-X on the woody stem. You will quickly notice the Vine-X product soaking into thewoody stem of the grapevine.

Step 4 Repeat the application process of step 3 on all grapevine stems you previously located.

Step 5 Wait between 30 to 60 days or until you notice at least 75% of the foliage dying off. At this point you can begin to remove the dead grapevine wood and foliage and discard according to the instructions on the Vine-X label.Repeat the application process of step 4 on all grapevine stems you previously located.

I applied the Vine-X to the intrusive wild grape vines along my fence the last week of January. Six weeks later, the entire 40-foot fence was once again visible. The wild grapevines died off little by little and even the thick woody stems are dried out and cracking. For the first time in 7 years I have managed to rid my property of those intrusive grapevines. I have yet to notice any new growth and I am completely satisfied with my purchase of Vine-X.