Being that my layout models Upstate South Carolina, I thought I needed some Kudzu vines to make it look authentic. I took a stab at it last night using Woodland Scenics Poly Fiber. Here's the results:
It looks like the MOW crew is going to need A LOT of Roundup. What do you guys think?
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
looks authentic to me. Im just down the road from you in Greenville. Dave
I am modeling norh Georgia so I also have to model a lot of kudzu. I think you are right on track with what you have so far for the vines. I am also going to try to model the leaf as well, for this I purchased several jars of Noch leaf flake a while back. I have not yet tried the leaf flake since my kudzu scene is not yet at the scenic stage. I also considered some of the Scenic Express vine/leaf products but they are cost prohibitive if you have a significant area to cover as I do. Jamie
CLICK HERE FOR THE CSX DIXIE LINE BLOG
OK OK For us Northerners, what is kudzu? ?
tatans OK OK For us Northerners, what is kudzu? ?
Kudzu is an extremly invasive weed that was intorduced in the 1930s and an erosion control measure and livestock feed. It grows all over everything and chokes out just about any other plant that gets in its way.
A giant mistake, you could drop a nuke on it, and would survive, along with roaches and fireants
Google/ image for some pictures. Crazy stuff.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Here is a prototype scene I am modeling. The kudzu is everywhere; especially notice how it has engulfed the trees behind the lead loco:
Jamie
GP-9_Man11786 tatans: OK OK For us Northerners, what is kudzu? ? Kudzu is an extremly invasive weed that was intorduced in the 1930s and an erosion control measure and livestock feed. It grows all over everything and chokes out just about any other plant that gets in its way.
tatans: OK OK For us Northerners, what is kudzu? ?
All I can say is Y I K E S ! !
Kudzu wasn't a mistake. It was successfully used for the better part of 70 years before it escaped control.
When King Cotton died off and the tobacco industry started to decline, a lot of farms that had been using it went idle. Without the constant defense against its uncontrolled growth, it "escaped containment" and turned into what we know now.
I've heard rumors its reached Pennsylvania. But kudzu as the all encompassing onslaught of imported plants doesn't come much past Richmond VA.
NittanyLion Kudzu wasn't a mistake. It was successfully used for the better part of 70 years before it escaped control.
So in the end, it was a mistake.
Geared Steam NittanyLion: Kudzu wasn't a mistake. It was successfully used for the better part of 70 years before it escaped control. So in the end, it was a mistake.
NittanyLion: Kudzu wasn't a mistake. It was successfully used for the better part of 70 years before it escaped control.
I'd disagree with that. If you buy a dog and then 10 years later, it bites the neighbor kid, was dog ownership a mistake?
NittanyLion I'd disagree with that.
I'd disagree with that.
That's okay with me.
I know the state and local governments who spend $$ trying to control it, as well as farmers, nurseries, railroads, private citizens etc. would agree with me.
Now back on topic.
It's all over the place down here too. Resembles big poison ivy leaves but without the itch. It was all over my yard and I killed every bit of it. Neighbors have done the same and we haven't seen a Kudzu vine here since.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
If you're modeling the bible belt, you can't forget to include Kudzu Jesus!
The modeled kudzu you show doesn't look realistic to me. I'm used to seeing it draped over dead trees, telegraph poles, and abandoned buildings. What you have there looks like the Blob.
You need to stretch it out more, add more leaf detail, and make it look like it's draped over something else, not like a self supporting bush of some sort.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
The protophoto of kudzu looks a lot like some low bushes I made on my N scale Mt. Coffin & Columbia River layout:
Look at the spreads towards the top of the mountains.
I just painted some slightly diluted white glue directly on the basic ground cover and then pressed the stretched poly fibers onto it:
Misted the poly fibers with 70% alcohol, then sprinkled some WS "weed" fine ground foam here and there (this will be the darker shadows underneath):
And then the WS "Green Blend" fine ground foam on top:
Eyedrop some 50-50 white glue & water to bond everything together.
Spreading out the poly fiber groups gives more of an "up & down" feel:
I knew that I'd have lots of pine trees all over the hill (see the first picture in the post, though I still need a couple hundred more!) so I didn't super detail the bushes, but you could highlight with some lighter green foam or noch leaf material or ? to give it more texture.
Part of the fun of kudzu seems to be guessing what it swallowed & lying underneath that green blanket, so I'd go with Lee's suggestions of 1/2 buildings, old cars, telephone poles, or religious figures (Kudzu Buddha or Kudzu Shiva, anyone?).
Hope this helps (though being from the West Coast not sure if I really "get" kudzu).Cheers!
M.C. Fujiwara
My YouTube Channel (How-to's, Layout progress videos)
Silicon Valley Free-moN
mcfunkeymonkey Part of the fun of kudzu seems to be guessing what it swallowed & lying underneath that green blanket,
Part of the fun of kudzu seems to be guessing what it swallowed & lying underneath that green blanket,
LOL That pretty much sums it up!
Its a barn!