Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Remove the vine manually
• Method 2 of 3: Non-toxic Vine Removal Techniques
• Method 3 of 3: Use a systemic herbicide
• What do you need
• Removing vines manually
• Non-toxic methods of eliminating vines
• Systemic herbicide use
• Tips

If you want to get rid of vines in your garden, there are several methods to help you with this. Prune the vines and remove the root system, or suffocate the vine with mulch. Vinegar and boiling water are also excellent, non-toxic options for getting rid of the vine. Use a systemic herbicide on a more stubborn and resistant vine to destroy the roots and get rid of them forever!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Remove the vine manually

1. 1 Cover your skin to protect it from vines. Certain types of vines (such as English ivy) can irritate the skin. Protect yourself by wearing long-sleeved clothing and pants and boots to protect your skin when handling the vine. Also remember to wear thick gardening gloves.
   • Among other things, wearing the right clothes will protect you from scratches and insect bites while you work.
2. 2 Separate the vine from trees or buildings with a sturdy flat tool. To avoid damaging trees or other surfaces that the vine clings to, separate it using a long, flat tool. Carefully insert a screwdriver, crowbar, or similar tool between the vine and the surface it is clinging to. Pull the vine towards you slowly.
   • If you are trying to separate a vine from a tree, pull on it slowly to avoid damaging the tree bark.
3. 3 Trim the vine with a pruner or garden saw. Prune vines that are 1–1.5 m tall. Depending on the thickness of the vine, use a pruner or garden saw to trim the vine. This will make it easier to remove the root system.
   • The cut vines should be thrown away immediately, as new shoots of the plant can easily sprout from the cut stems.
4. 4 Pull or excavate the vine by hand. If the vine is rather small, you will see its roots. Pull out the roots by hand, or dig up the root system with a shovel or garden trowel. Dig up the entire root system, including the bulbs and tubers, to finally destroy the vine.
   • It is best to work in the spring when the ground is moist and soft. This way you can get to the root system of the vine much faster.
   • Note that you may need to dig out the seedlings regularly over several months or years to keep the vine under control.
5. 5 Cut the vines on the surface. Use a lawnmower to cut the creeping vines to control their growth. The lawnmower needs to be powerful enough to cut tough vines, not just drive over them. Prune it at least 3-4 times a year to slowly get rid of the creeping vines.
   • Electric or rotary mowers are more likely to pass over vines without cutting them.
   • This method is ideal for people who want to avoid painstaking work, but for it to work, you will need to mow the vine regularly to get results.

Method 2 of 3: Non-toxic Vine Removal Techniques

1. 1 Smother the vine with mulch. The vine needs light, water and air to survive and keep growing. Cover the area where the vine is growing with mulch made from scrap materials. Do not spare the mulch, depriving the vine of light, sun and air to kill it within a few weeks.
   • For mulch, use biodegradable materials such as grass, tree bark, old newspapers, and dead leaves, which will return to the soil as organic matter when the vines are removed.
   • You can also cover the vine with plastic wrap. This will deprive it of oxygen and create intense heat that will most likely destroy the vine after a few weeks.
2. 2 Sprinkle the vinegar solution on the vine. Fill a spray bottle or garden sprayer with 80% water and 20% white vinegar. Treat the vine with this solution. Check the condition of the vine after 2-3 days and pull out the dead shoots. Repeat treatment as needed.
   • Avoid spilling the solution on other plants.
3. 3 Pour boiling water over the root system of the vine. Cut off most of the vine on the surface with a pruner and discard it. Use a shovel or garden scoop to get to the root of the vine. Pour 3-4 cups (0.7-1 L) boiling water directly onto the root system where the roots of the plant emerge.

Method 3 of 3: Use a systemic herbicide

1. 1 Buy triclopyr to destroy thick, tree-like vines. Systemic herbicides enter the vine's circulation through the leaves and then kill the roots. Use triclopyr, the strongest systemic herbicide, to eliminate thick and dense vines. It will easily penetrate the tough outer surface of the vine.
   • Purchase the herbicide from your local gardening or hardware store.
2. 2 Use glyphosate to control herbaceous vines. Herbaceous vines can be killed with a milder systemic herbicide. Apply glyphosate to the vine leaves to allow it to enter the circulation. Herbaceous vines are not as tough as tree vines and can be destroyed without resorting to more noxious herbicides.
3. 3 Treat individual vine leaves with a systemic herbicide. If you are trying to get rid of a vine on the ground or on a building that is not touching other plants, spray it with a herbicide. Apply enough herbicide to completely wet the foliage of the vine. Do not spray the leaves with too much herbicide to prevent the dripping liquid from damaging the soil and roots of nearby plants.
   • Do not spray poison on vines growing on trees or other plants.
   • Depending on the thickness of the vines and the development of the root system, the process of removing the vines can take from several weeks to several months.
   • One spray session may not be enough.
4. 4 Cover other plants with plastic bags or plastic wrap before spraying the herbicide. Protect your garden from the herbicide by covering all plants with protective sheeting. To protect the roots, cover the soil surrounding the plants. Press down on the tape with large stones, bricks or pegs.
   • Remove the film 2-3 hours after applying the herbicide.
5. 5 Prune large vines and treat the cut with herbicide. Larger, more developed vines are more likely to be intertwined with other plants or adherent to buildings or trees. Prune these vines with a garden saw or pruning shears and leave a shoot about 8-13 cm tall. Apply undiluted triclopyr directly to the cut site.
   • The treated vine should die within a week or two after the herbicide attacks the root system.

What do you need

Removing vines manually

• Gloves
• Protective clothing
• Shovel and garden scoop
• Pruner or garden saw
• Lawn mower

Non-toxic methods of eliminating vines

• Mulch
• Plastic film
• Vinegar
• Boiling water

Systemic herbicide use

• Systemic herbicide (glyphosate or triclopyr)
• Plastic bags or film
• Stones or bricks
• Pruner or garden saw
• Plastic or rubber (water repellent) gloves
• Herbicide vapor mask

Tips

• Do not throw vine clippings into the compost heap, as they will take root and start growing.
• After trimming, wipe all tools with rubbing alcohol.
• Wash all clothing after using herbicides.
• Do not use chemicals if you are under 18 years of age.