How do you kill Green Briar?
by
Page Reid
+2
Its a VERY sticky vine. Root BALLS spread like soft butter and look like big clummped up rootabagers.
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Found this..... https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/controlling-greenbrier-weeds.htm
Hello Page Reid, Pour boiling water on it then sprinkle salt on it. A lot of salt. This method will kill just about anything. It is effective and inexpensive. Hope this helps.
If it's any comfort to you, Smilax bona-nox (saw greenbrier) has been the bane of gardener's existence for a very long time. Smilax makes a thick, hardened root in which it stores water and nutrients. Hand pulling Cat-brier usually only breaks off the top-growth which the root quickly replaces.
Dig and destroy these root storage organs and you will destroy the plant. This is never easy and is often impractical or impossible. Cutting new growth a few inches above the soil and painting the remaining stub with an herbicide labeled for that purpose is the most common control method.
Unfortunately, persistance is also required, there is no quick fix. This plant has long, large underground root systems to tubers that can be as big as a potato. Getting to that with herbicide is very difficult. However, speaking from experience, we moved onto a property that had been farm land with large oaks that were infested with the briers. Over a period of years, just digging them out, cutting them off, a certain amount of cursing, we did finally eradicate them.
Locally called 'Dammit Vine'...!
It can be a long process but I know how much of a nuisance they are