Clip the Daises, keep the weeds

[CrusaderFrank]

A pet peeve of mine is that the NYSDOT spends money and manpower to clip the roadside wildflower while ignoring the destruction of trees and landscape from invasive grape species

You may have noticed roadsides covered like this, and it's not good. The invasive grape - not kudzu - kills whatever they overgrow. Were I running DOT I would spend 2 out of every three years cutting back, pulling out and destroying the invasive grapes as THE major effort.

I prefer this to the invasive grape

 

[ABikerSailor]

I remember the first time I saw kudzu, and though that it was the strangest looking stuff I'd ever seen. Grew up as a country boy in Montana, and was used to green by the side of the road in the form of pine trees.

But traveling the highway between Nashville and Memphis? The whole place was covered by a carpet of green, and my first thought was that they had really funny looking mounds. Later found out that it was kudzu covering everything, from the dirt, to the bushes and even the trees.

And yeah, I think the DOT should spend some time trying to get rid of it.

 

[Muhammed]

But it's edible...

 

[Synthaholic]

My area of Florida employs goats to eat the kudzu, and they do a damn fine job! No herbicides, just some goat shit left behind.

 

[fncceo]

Governments, from local to Federal, are judged not by what they do, but what they are seen to be doing.

A big, green mass of invasive flora is both difficult and expensive to remove. Also, if there is enough of it, it just blends into the background.

Daisies, on the other hand, are easy to remove and everyone notices ... that is the definition of a government success. Maximum visible affect for least amount of effort.

 

[ReinyDays]

Westside PNW has a BIG problem with Himalayan Blackberries ... nasty cusses ... treats Round-up like fertilizer ...

 

[CrusaderFrank]

There was a local effort in Westchester that unfortunately, died out in early 2000's.

I could see involving local landscapers, Boy Scouts and Conservationists in the effort

 

[ReinyDays]

There was a local effort in Westchester that unfortunately, died out in early 2000's.

I could see involving local landscapers, Boy Scouts and Conservationists in the effort

Can these grapes be controlled through regular mowing? ... because that's useless to control the briers here in the West ... mow a patch for ten years and the canes will grow right back ...