It's a plan, how I'm workin in Jax.

This week-end I paid attention to everything that was creeping out of control. This is prime time to at least slow down some of the noxious and invasive hanging around here.
This will be project # 1. This is a large Purple "Wild Azeala" thicket in park across from my house. I am going to go over and personally clean all the brambles and potatoe vines out of it. The potatoes, if collected now, will not replant themselves. The Brambles I'm not sure how to tackle those. I dug them out when I did this once before six years ago
I will also be calling the Florida Times. They might want to come help me raise awareness of these two in particular.

This is a close-up of two of the main WANTED weeds. The big leaf on the right side of photo is Potatoe vine, it's "potatoe" is hanging in the middle. The shiny arrow shaped leaves below and to the right of the potatoe are what I call "bramble". I can't find this in the PDB, so I know someone here at DG will know what it is. The root is a tuber I will post a picture when I dig one.

The vine is Smilax bona nox, also called Greenbrier i think.

Believe you me, i'm not trying to start anything here, but its a staple food for deer and also provides cover for birds and small animals that are seeking cover. Please reconsider removing it.

Jen

Thanks MsJen, This is in a city Park, No deer,the azeala provides plenty of cover and it with the Potatoe vine are so thick I haven't been able to see a bloom in several years. I appreciate your identification. Sidney
Please check this and reconsider your position.
http://davesgarden.com/pdb/go/31746/index.html

Thanks again, Sidney

This message was edited Nov 22, 2004 10:03 AM

Community Involvement!

Nothing Heightens Public Awareness faster than soliciting help for a clean up project! I am a firm believer that the vast majority of people just blatantly are clueless. Working shoulder to shoulder with people who respond to the call provides you with a golden opportunity to discuss some of the issues while you work. Don't forget to call any Girl Scout or Boy Scout Groups out there as most have community service requirements they need to fulfill to advance.

This message was edited Mar 11, 2008 7:02 PM

I'd have to vote to remove the greenbrier, too: http://davesgarden.com/pdb/go/31746/index.html

(Although in the interest of equal air time, I have to say we received a chastising email from a PDB visitor who indignantly pointed out that it was grown at Monticello, so we shouldn't list it as a noxious weed. ;o)

My personal experience with it has taught me Its thorns are particularly nasty and unfortunately it tends to form a deep and strong taproot. If you find a good method of eradicating it, I'd love to hear it. I've got few spots of it that keep appearing near my azaleas in my front bed. I've tried waiting until the soil is loose and friable after a good rain, and I can pull quite a bit up, but it always comes back.

Equilbrium,

All i can say is WOW after reading your explanation. Thanks for sharing your story.

Of course I'd ask Dave before I would even mention his site. I like the title, Weed Warrior for this project.(;>)

Terry, that's a riot, "because it grew at Montecello". I've been lucky enough to work on pipelines going across North Carolina and this is one of those vines you just hate to encounter. I'm so glad jen told me Deer eat it, because there are some places I'll leave it since I know that. This is just one of those that makes you wonder "What was God's plan for this?" Now I know one of them.

Sugarweed, please get permission from the Park Commission or City Hall to pull/cut down the weeds because if it becomes a "ta do" they may arrest you for destruction of public property, thinking that they have to set an example because they can't have people just going into a park cutting down a plant.

Remember way back, I voted for you to save the poor thing, but think of the legalities if you're going for a big splash, by calling in the Florida Times!!

Good Luck and be sure to have bail money readily available just in case.

Judy

I think I can handle that, it's just an excellent place to start. This is a shot from my front porch. The rather large bank of bushes right ib the middle is the target above
Sometimes when I'm gone for 2-3 months at a time the city puts door tags about the overgrown noxious weeds in my yard.
When I got my survey done, I found out the State of Florida owns the front 18' of my whole front yard. I have 3 Live Oaks
there and I am getting ready to put a garden across all of it.
Thanks for your intrest.

Forgot the picture, dah

Native plants can be extremely invasive too. Black Locust comes to mind for me but there are others.

Thank you MSJen.

Sugar, if they arrest you for taking out potato vines, I WILL MAKE YOUR BAIL! They got loose in my yard in Miami before I knew what they were and almost took over everything. When I moved here I brought some potted palms with me, and later found that some of the little potatos came with them. The only thing that grows faster is Kudzu, and you know what that's done to the South!
DEATH TO POTATO VINES!!!!
Pati

Pati - The bail money wouldn't be my big worry in the situation ... it would be the Strip Search!!! The thought of that has stopped me a time or two when I really had the urge to "protest". lol lol

But hopefully the Park Commission will give their permission for Sugar to clear out the weeds! AND if not, then the "statement" to the newspaper would have a much better impact!!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day everyone!!!!

Judy

Gotcha
I can see it now the swat team has me surrounded,

"Hey Miss, drop your shovel, put your hands over your head".
"Are you carirying any bl-pass pruners, garden spades, or clippers?"
"Hey Joe, over here, she's got a spading fork and plactic bags stashed, cuff her"

"Help, Help, call Patischell, for the Bail"

(She helped me write this.)

This message was edited Nov 23, 2004 4:37 PM

As with any noxious weed seed, like air potatoes, boil them before disposal, it guarantees they won't sprout.
No, I would not eat them!

I "liberated" some plants I wanted for my garden from a roadside ditch. I was so afraid that someone was going to stop and demand to know what I was doing!

Now that you better watch out for. You can't pick up a twig legally in a US Park.
I gathered moss to start when we were stopped on I-95. I heard that day I was probably breaking laws.
The Florida Hwy patrol sets up over there with speed trap about every two weeks, I'll dodge them.

What an interesting thread! I have to start by saying the name of my neighborhood is "Briarwood."
(For very good reason!) I have a half acre of land and I am fighting greenbriar constantly- except in the 1/4 of the property I left deliberately and completely wild. I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving the greenbriar in this area, since I thought it was a native plant, provided food and shelter for birds,etc. But I am re-thinking this now- although even if I try to get rid of it all, I can't say I'd be able to do so.
I'm just not sure what to do about it.
I agree it's a terrible plant -with some benefits to wildlife. Although providing food is not a great benefit if it causes the spead of seed...

So sugarweed.....how is this coming? Have you started the park clean up yet?