Maybe that tight tangle, there is a "crazy" guy local to Langhorne that thinks the vines are pulling the trees down, that ,might not be such a crazy thought lol.
Trail Maintenance - don't do this
- Thread starter Patrick
- Start date
The vines with red berries is Bittersweet and the vines with green leaves is Honeysuckle. Both are invasive.
Bittersweet is heavy enough to pull a tree down. Both these invasives incase a tree to the point that the tree has problems leafing out. This weakens the tree and is more likely to die.
Currently I'm building trail in Marlboro on 520 at the old state hospital site. I've been clearing invasives for the last 4 months with volunteers to make way for a trail. This involves clearing garbage vegetation up to 30' wide for miles. This helps the native plants/trees thrive and carves out an attractive trail.
Once you can ID invasives, its hard to unsee them and it detracts from the trail experience. Now is the best time to remove them, when they are not leafed out. Wearing chaps, face guard, brush coat is also much more comfortable in 20 degrees vrs 85 degrees.
Going in to a trail in July with hedge trimmers to cut arm scratchers and face slappers sucks. Do it now and cut back at least 10' from the trail. Invasives can grow 3-5' in a year, cut them back hard and be done with it. You will still have to maintain vegetation but it will be much easier.
The link below is more detailed info about invasives with illustration. Reach out to me if you need help with identification or a game plan to get rid of it.
invasive.pdf https://share.google/D05bRftZvxNB57Ey6
A few years ago I had walked the trails at baldpate with the lead Mercer County trail steward at the time to go over invasive plants. We walked on one trail for 1/3 of a mile before we found something that wasn't invasive. The multi floral rose is probably the worst enemy because of thorns, but one of my targets is autumn olive because it is one of the worst designed plants ever in the sense that it has no structural integrity and easily grows/leans into the trails and grows really fast.
Over the years I have trimmed heavy at all of the parks I support and it has paid off, especially with the multi floral rose as i target the mother vine and pull it out, if possible. Last week I cut a few 1-1.5" vines at the base, which basically addresses that section for next season.
That being said, at Baldpate, Mercer County wants to trim as minimal as possible so something as heavy as you explained just isn't in the cards.
@pooriggy what’s the best way to deal with mile a minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata)?
It is relatively easy to pull out, the hard part is disposal. If you dump it off trail it could spread. They recommend bagging and disposing, which is impractical, or drying it out to die. I usually dump it in an area with full sun, with little soil contact.
Mile a Minute is a small climbing annaul vine that dies off in winter. Typically it grows over dead fall. Remove dead fall adjacent to trail and Mile a Minute won't be as much of an issue. If you can clear adjacent to trail and mow for several growing seasons, you can weed out the garbage and establish native grassy vegetation. Its labor intensive initially but in the long run easier to maintain.
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
Humans are part of nature. Possibly the worst part.
Nature was taking its course until we started importing plants and insects from different ecosystems. The result is plants and insects that have no natural predators, allowing them to invade natives. People who care about protecting native species take action.
Most people think that if its green its good, which is why invasives are taking over. Nurseries still sell a lot of this crap because it grows fast and they can make a quick profit.
I have Bamboo in my yard. Started with 1 plant 30 years ago. Now I have to go into neighbor's yard every year and break off the new shoots. He's pissed. Cant blame him.
One of the Mercer dudes had a tantrum about butterfly bushes being everywhere, me with a couple in my yard
Ian F
Well-Known Member
I'm reminded of the ivy in my backyard. I think it was there when we moved in back in 1992 (my mother may have planted it in some delusional idea of having ground cover in a heavily shaded area, but I honestly don't remember) but keeping it under control is... difficult. What I really need to do is make an attempt to cut it back and pull a lot of it out during the winter when it's somewhat dormant.
MuniMan
Well-Known Member
The seeds are extremely hearty iirc. Birds and other animals will eat the blue fruit and disperse them. You basically have to take the fruit/berries home with you and put them in the trash to keep them from spreading and re-seeding.
If you do cut them you should pile them, then do what you can to keep the birds and animals from getting at the berries in the pile. And monitor the pile next year to yank out any that grow.
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