How to Treat INVASIVE Oriental Bittersweet

EcoForesters' Mary Vann demonstrates the cut-stem method for treating the non-native Invasive Oriental bittersweet. Using this method, the stem of the invasive plant is cut as low to the ground as possible and the immediately painted with a herbicide solution that will also kill the roots. The vine is then cut at head-height to make it easier to see that the vine has already been cut when doing follow-up treatments in the area.
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[@jennifermorgan2154]

Wow I sent letters email and slide shows to the every forestry, watershed, utility plants, businesses, parks, neighbors and farmers in 2009. We all need to do our part. If we all do our part the trees will have a chance thank you for doing and sharing

[@tedgoerner4189]

I have had good success killing older vines by simply cutting. The worst thing you can do is to do nothing. Don't be discouraged. Be persistent. You will win in the end.

[@ksero1000]

Eqxh cut doesn't make it bush out with more arms to reach up and grab at more trees in every direction?

[@emilien.8327]

Good job!

[@dudders___1684]

Been battling this stuff all this year once I started. The people that lived at this house had neglected the back yard the whole time they lived here. There’s all kinds of vines that are going up a big tree in numerous spots. I’ve been clearing out as much as I can. A few of the vines I cut at the base were around 2 and a half inches or maybe even 3 in diameter. I definitely need to make a trip to the store and get some type of stuff to put on it once you cut it, and make some cuts farther down closer to the ground to kill the roots. But the vines in the tree have been dying, I’ve tried pulling them down but they’re just so in there I guess I’m going to have to try and wait for them to fall out

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

Yeah they’re impossible to get out of the trees. Takes years for them to fully fall off the tree after dying. But it’s better that they’re dead so they don’t kill everything.

[@dudders___1684]

@@TheHolyMongolEmpire I went through later and cut them closer to the ground and put some herbicide on them, the vines going up the tree are definitely dying. And hopefully the tree starts to feel some relief soon. It’s just such a big tree, that if the vines killed it, and it fell towards the house, it would do a lot of damage. It’s a big and mighty tree

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

@@dudders___1684 we just bought our first house last October. There’s about an acre in the back that the previous owner didn’t take care of at all for probably a decade. Every single tree was covered in grape vine and bittersweet to the point that the vines killed about 30 percent of the older trees and were smothering everything else. I cut it all this spring and spent about a week doing so. Will wait til July to see if new growth starts in order to add herbicide. But yes, some of the big trees the shit was growing on could def kill the trees and then destroy our house.

[@CT_Yankee]

Question: Will cutting, then chipping actually result in those remnants sprouting new vines? Same question for machine mulching of the understory growth.

[@mrviclamb6819]

Will the bittersweet vine grow across a yard or open area?

[@Coasterdude02149]

This crap has completely taken over my back yard. There's so much of it, and while not as thick as the vines here, I'm overwhelmed trying to cut it. Used to have a beautiful back yard but not anymore thanks to bittersweet. I hate it

[@mrviclamb6819]

Was it growing across the surface of your yard?

[@treesRpeopletwo]

What herbicide are using? How diluted is the herbicide?

[@ecoforesters6521]

We generally use a 25-50% solution of a 41% active ingredient product of triclopyr (but also sometime glyphosate). Triclopyr is often best fo woody plants. For a more hardy invasive species, like tree-of-heaven, a 50% solution might be best while using a 25% solution for privet might be just enough. But there are also other factors like time of year and size of the targeted individuals that influence the solution used.

[@Pipsquacky]

Is there a risk of a piece that has been cut off and left on the ground reroot?

[@michaelross8968]

I highly doubt it, from my experience. I have piles of it waiting to be burned and it just dries out. But I don’t like leaving root sections too close to the ground that I’ve pulled out.

[@bethhildick-smith6561]

What can I do with water that has had bittersweet sitting in it all winter? I disposed of the cut branches which I used for a wreath, I’m afraid to pour it out onto the ground. I’m in southern Vt we use well water?

[@WormAteWords]

Why are you afraid to pour it onto the ground? It's still just water with a little bit of dirt in it.

[@blakespower]

are they easy to snap with you bare hands? of course if the vine is somewhat loose to be able to bend it to snap it

[@stephenduncanson6154]

Any larger than a hot dog can be quite difficult to break with your hands. I doubt the vines in this video could be. It is also a strain on your hands

[@blakespower]

is this the plant I see in Maryland on all the trees on the sides of roads, its not grape or kudzu I guess its this they grow to the the top of tall trees too and then cover the entire top of the tree

[@mortsdans]

I think so

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

I was able to successfully remove bittersweet from all my trees in the backyard. The mouse-eared I dandelions or whatever they're called are pretty dampersistent. And the garlic mustard. I try to make a significant dent on one or annoying invasive species each year. I know shade works on killing the mouse eared hawkweed. But you got to be ready to replace it with something really. You'll just have dirt

[@clubfishersd]

What is used as herbicide coloring?

[@arminweise3768]

I am not sure which specific brand was used here but you can use use any dye you may find in a hardware store. I think common products you can find on the internet and in stores is Lazer or Market-it-blue but you can really use any dye you can find. Even food dye works but it is MUCH less intense.

[@clairek776]

How do you all treat the many immature vines that still sprout the next year from the original plant?

[@arminweise3768]

Normally, the herbicide application should kill the stem down to the roots. Occasionally, one of those stems still re-sprouts even though it has been treated with herbicide but in that case it is often less vigorous. Depending on the situation I would either follow-up with a spot application of herbicide on the re-spouting leaves or wait a few years and do a follow-up cut-stem application with herbicide.

[@corniss]

It keeps coming up no matter how much you cut and put herbicide on stump. I try pulling the smaller ones when they come back. It is q job but you have to go back every year and pull. 😔

[@williaml8474]

Another channel put a spong around the wand tip and only daubed the outer edge of the cut surface. In public parks where herbicides are banned I try to find the roots and cut them too. All cuts with a small battery powered reciprocating saw with wood pruning blade.

[@moiaredhawk]

Where can I buy that applicator bottle ?

[@blakespower]

any hardware store Home Depot LOwes whatever you got near you, look in the lawn and garden section

[@Notnameworthy]

I did this for about half a year. I Inhaled way more cancerous fumes than should be acceptable. I appreciate the conservation aspect (that’s why I chose to do it), but it always bothered me how I ended up working on super wealthy peoples properties rather than focusing on the obvious kuzdzu, bittersweet, stilt-grass, invasive honeysuckle problem that is infesting our local communities

[@fortierdawn]

I'm very disappointed that you never mention how this vine spreads massive amounts of shouts all over your yard. Just cutting the ones wrapping around your trees isn't enough. I've been attempting to kill oriental bittersweet in my yard for several years now. For every vine that wraps around a tree or bush, there's a million more little shouts that spring up all over the yard. You never mention anything about ripping the roots up or attempts at killing the root system.

[@mrviclamb6819]

Yes, when I moved here, the vines across the entire back yard looked like a bowl of spaghetti, all wrapped up together. I have spent much of my Summer digging, cutting and removing. They come from an unattended lot next door. These vines already brought down a couple large trees.

[@high_fructose_corn_syrup]

A WARNING TO ALL.... This vine almost killed my german shepherd!!! It was growing on my deck, i left it thinking it looked nice.. yeah fast forward to a Sunday morning. My gsd projectile puking EVERYWHERE!!!! rushed him to the ER Vet 2x that Sunday!! He was so out of it.. 100x more lethargic from this than right after anesthesia!!! Ever since then, he has also had a few seizures. Only knew it was the plant because we saw a few fresh green leaves in his puke. Ive made it my mission to kill it off my property. It KEEPS coming back!!! Pulled it.. sprayed it.. even put alottttt of rock salt on it.. problem is the roots!!! If u cant get them all.. it WILL come back.

[@nectarandice]

Is she single?

[@George-iu7sz]

What she DIDN'T tell us is what chemical/herbacide she is using and at what strength. Also, is there a purpose to doing all that sawing, or is a good pair of loppers going to be just as good. Poorly done.

[@arminweise3768]

I believe she used 25-50% (of a 41% product) triclopyr mix. Yes, loppers will work great. The sawing works the best for larger stems.