For the past six years, I have had the same New Year’s Resolution: To eradicate my Kudzu. I
completed my Master Gardener training in 2018. My final project “Kudzu: A Love Story” was a
bit of a divergence from the traditional presentations, but I wanted to learn about this maligned
invasive which had overtaken nearly an acre of my farm. My kudzu patch had been around for
some time; it was dense, with coverage on the ground and vines overtaking a number of mature
trees. Through my research and Master Gardener training, I learned much about its history and
how it grows. Why it was loved, why it is now hated, and how hard it is to eradicate. (Spoiler
Alert: it takes years and is done better when you bring in the experts.) And then, in 2019, kudzu
climbed to the top of my New Year’s Resolution list. It had to be eradicated.
Kudzu is a perennial, climbing vine of the legume family. Kudzu is deciduous, losing leaves in
the fall after a killing frost. It produces long, hairy vines which spread in all directions from a
central root crown; vines produce nodes to form root crowns where they come in contact with
the bare soil. Vines can grow up to 30 to 100 feet per year and in the early summer, kudzu can
grow up to a foot per day.
Kudzu was introduced to North America in 1876 in the Japanese pavilion at the World’s Fair in
Philadelphia. During the Great Depression, thousands of acres of kudzu were planted by the
Civilian Conservation Corps for hillside stabilization projects. Kudzu was also marketed as a
drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing legume for livestock feed.
The roots contain starch, which has been used as an ingredient and a tea. In traditional Chinese
medicine, kudzu has been used as a remedy for alcoholism, measles, menopause, diabetes,
fever, and pain. Recent research has revealed kudzu’s effectiveness in treating addiction and in
promoting liver regeneration.
So why is kudzu a problem? Kudzu’s rapid growth as a perennial allows it to displace native
vegetation. Kudzu changes soil chemistry, altering its environment. Kudzu also emits isoprene
and nitrogen oxides which can increase dangerous levels of ozone pollution. Control costs have
been estimated over $1.5 million per year as vines must be removed from power lines, railroad
tracks, and roads.
Kudzu’s stock has plummeted since 1950: first it was removed from agricultural use, then slid
into “weed” status, then “noxious weed”, until it finally hit the list as an Invasive which threatens
Virginia’s forests, grasslands, wetlands, and waterways.
Given this, I needed help with my acre.
Armed with my research and Master Gardener training, I brought in the experts—The Virginia
State Office of Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Virginia Department of
Forestry. Together, we developed a conservation plan.
We started with the idea of burning the kudzu to clear the land to assess the terrain and
number/size of the kudzu root crowns. Weather conditions made this impossible—it was always
too dry or too breezy. We had cut fire lines, but we couldn’t set it on fire. After a few years of
this, I realized that the fire lines themselves control the kudzu, limiting its growth. Perhaps this
was enough? Could we simply control the kudzu, rather than attempt to eradicate it?
We started to use heavy equipment and mow the kudzu to limit the production of new food
reserves by reducing photosynthesis. This strategy is slow, must be repeated annually—hence,
my new New Year’s Resolution. It has proven effective in reducing the root crowns to limit the
spread and the overall size of the infestation. It has also proven effective in limiting my
disappointment. I need not mourn the unattainable. Control is all I needed.
The pictures posted here were taken over a span of six years showing the effectiveness of
mechanical harvesting of kudzu. I am grateful for the contributions of the NRCS and Virginia
Department of Forestry for being my long-term partners in realizing my resolution.
6 Years Ago
Controlling Kudzu
Current Status
Photos by Rachael Watman
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