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Last post 07-11-2009 7:40 PM by morseman. 19 replies.
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GP-9_Man11786
Joined on
07-18-2004
Bluffton, SC
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Since moving to the northwestern part of South Carolina about a two months ago I've noticed that those Kudzu vines are litterally everywhere. However I've also noticed the railroads around here do seem to do a good job of keeping their ROW's clear of the stuff. How much time and money do railroads have to spend fending off this weed? I hear it's quite perniciouse.
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garr
Joined on
03-12-2004
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Don't know what the cost of controling this vine is for southeastern railroads, but any Southerner worth his grits knows how to plant it.......Throw the seeds on the ground and RUN. Jay
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tree68
Joined on
12-25-2001
Northern New York
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As I understand it, more than a few highway departments thought they could cut costs by planting it along highways - something about less mowing. I think they now regret that decision...
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john_edwards
Joined on
08-16-2008
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It was imported to this country in the 30's (from China I think-not sure) for errosion control.True In the spirit of garr's post: It was used along Georgia's roads to catch runaway chain gang prisoners.
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Modelcar
Joined on
02-12-2002
Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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....Once it gets started in the area, that must be awful stuff. Noticed it at Saluda when we stopped there several years in a row....And from what I've heard about it, it must be almost impossible to stop once it's in an area. Even gets up in the trees and so on....
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vsmith
Joined on
12-20-2001
Smoggy L.A.
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Does Roundup work on something like Kudzu?
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blue streak 1
Joined on
12-23-2007
Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
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[ It was imported to this country in the 30's (from China I think-not sure) for errosion control.True TRUE: The first actual use was for erosion control at Copperhill, TN on L&N's Hook and eye. Copper was smelted there and the fumes killed every bit of vegetation of all kinds. It was actually a desert area. Kudzu was planted to hold the soil with only some success. The closer to the smelter the less likely to grow. Unfortunally passers by grabbed the vines and planted them all over the south. The root goes down 4 feet into the ground so very hard for frost to kill. My way to kill it is to mix up a 5 gallon bucket of Weed-be-gone or Roundup (kind of expensive), place the end of the vines in the bucket, cover bucket to prevent animals from drinking, and let the vines soak up the herbicide for two or three days. Then use the liquid on other pest vegetation.
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samfp1943
Joined on
06-11-2003
Belle Plaine,Ks
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 blue streak 1:
[
It was imported to this country in the 30's (from China I think-not sure) for errosion control.True
TRUE: The first actual use was for erosion control at Copperhill, TN on L&N's Hook and eye. Copper was smelted there and the fumes killed every bit of vegetation of all kinds. It was actually a desert area. Kudzu was planted to hold the soil with only some success. The closer to the smelter the less likely to grow. Unfortunally passers by grabbed the vines and planted them all over the south. The root goes down 4 feet into the ground so very hard for frost to kill.
My way to kill it is to mix up a 5 gallon bucket of Weed-be-gone or Roundup (kind of expensive), place the end of the vines in the bucket, cover bucket to prevent animals from drinking, and let the vines soak up the herbicide for two or three days. Then use the liquid on other pest vegetation.
B.S. 1, and you other guys! You're missing out on GOOD FOOD! Kudzu is a food to be enjoyed...Down in Georgia- Home to the Vidalia Onion and Kudzu... Here's a link to a real treat!
http://forum.earthbox.com/index.php?topic=3722.0 A KUDZU QICHE.. 
http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/food/articles/2007/03/20/20070320cookingkudzu0320.html
Another source about KUDZU... For those not acquainted with it! 
jUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT IN SOMEBODY'S KUDZU PATYCH THAT HAS BEEN TRYING TO KILL IT
One time down in Mississippi, I watched a cousin use a small CAT to cut out a Kudzu root ( Tuberous root), tghe size of a Datsun; in order to kill off a large patch of it.
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vsmith
Joined on
12-20-2001
Smoggy L.A.
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"You fry the leaves and they're just like potato chips - delicious,"
Which just goes to prove something about the south I've known for years, if you can deep fry it, they'll eat it  
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eastside
Joined on
03-25-2001
New York City
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It's from Japan, where it's known as kuzu. In Japan, it's used as a decorative plant and also harvested for its starch. Apparently, something there naturally keeps it in check. I used it for many years for cooking Japanese dishes -- that’s how I was taught to cook some Japanese fried dishes, but never made the connection between the infestation in the South and kuzu starch until recently because I’m a Yankee and the difference in spelling. It makes a killer batter for fried dishes The stuff I buy is imported from Japan and costs about $6 a half-pound so I’ve never tried it to make fried chicken, for example.
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Mookie
Joined on
06-06-2001
US
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vsmith:
"You fry the leaves and they're just like potato chips - delicious,"
Which just goes to prove something about the south I've known for years, if you can deep fry it, they'll eat it
Vic - don't they eat Nutria, too? That would be a main dish with a side.... 
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Geared Steam
Joined on
01-24-2008
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Mookie: vsmith:
"You fry the leaves and they're just like potato chips - delicious,"
Which just goes to prove something about the south I've known for years, if you can deep fry it, they'll eat it
Vic - don't they eat Nutria, too? That would be a main dish with a side....
Your getting Nutra confused with gator
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CShaveRR
Joined on
06-27-2001
Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
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Geared Steam: Mookie: vsmith:
"You fry the leaves and they're just like potato chips - delicious,"
Which just goes to prove something about the south I've known for years, if you can deep fry it, they'll eat it
Vic - don't they eat Nutria, too? That would be a main dish with a side....
You're getting Nutra confused with gator
Or Vegemite.
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Paul_D_North_Jr
Joined on
10-11-2006
Allentown, PA
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Trains - The magazine of railroading . . .
and fine [and not-so-fine] cuisine . . .
and horticulture / invasive plant species management . . .
and vanishing Americana [newspaper delivery boxes, from another thread - zardoz] . . .
and a few other subjects that I can't remember just now . . .
So who needs National Geographic and those other magazines ?
- PDN.
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Geared Steam
Joined on
01-24-2008
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vsmith: "You fry the leaves to me that and they're just like potato chips - delicious,"
Which just goes to prove something about the south I've known for years, if you can deep fry it, they'll eat it
From I've read in both of those links, it appears it is being readied to sell to the fruit and nut types out west, you know the ones, slap "natural" and healhty" and they will buy it in droves. The downside is the southern states marketing the "natural exotic healthy fibrous plant" won't accept IOU's from a certain failed western state.  oops!
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