Who is your fruit or vegetable nemesis?

Caught one little menace.

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I haven’t had too many problems with pests yet, but I can’t seem to get on top of the weeds. I have been playing whack-a-mole with several very aggressive species: Bedstraw/cleavers, mullein, thistle, bitter nightshade, virginia creeper, and most recently hoary alysuum which appeared on my property and spread all over it, including throughout the lawn, in less than 2 years. This stuff sucks: Hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) | Fraser Valley Invasive Species Society

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I’m dealing with TRUMPET VINE suckers. 5’th year since I pulled out a chainsaw and shovel and hacked up the mother boss host. Now I’m fighting the evil suckers from under ground daily coming up everywhere especially where I don’t want them. They don’t last long but can grow a lot in a few hours of sun. Wonder how many years it can keep popping them up?

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voles, and cats pooping in my compost pile.

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I battled trumpet vine for over 20 years before I finally gave up!

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20 years is crazy. If only a vegetable plant was so tough it could eradicate world hunger. It grows straight up through 3 feet of river rocks here and under concrete. Do you still grow anything there or is it just dead unusable land where it was? As far as I know the only way to eradicate it completely is to remove the top 3 feet of earth.

This one ran over 50’ away underground. I planted 6 in ground trees back there so removing 3 feet of earth would hurt.

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When I first read the thread title I actually was thinking, what fruit or vegetable is my nemesis?

Considering my bad luck with them, I’d say raspberries…

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That or drown in roundup.

Not trumpet vine, but we’ve faced an eternal battle with scotch broom at our place in Sonoma County. It’s seeds stay viable for for like 15 years so you gotta be consistently removing it forever. Slip up once and it bloom and blooms and seeds quickly so you’re back to square one. It really doesn’t help when your neighbor’s properly looks like they’re growing the stuff for lumber.

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@KS_razerback

Think that one belongs in the wildlife in our gardens thread! Sneaking up on a cottontail is difficult.

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Careful, he’s got huge pointy razor sharp teeth!

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I have a hard time sneak up on them, I usually count on being able to catch them before they make it to cover that I can’t follow after.

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Once was enough to make me learn to avoid the mouth :sweat_smile:.

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For the first 2 years I tried Bonide vine and stump killer. I’d dig a deep hole and cut the vine then brush it on there good. Did nothing to slow it down. I cringe when I see certain plants being sold with no warning at my local nurseries. Knowing they’ll make money from selling the poisons to try and eradicate them later on too.

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A lot of the sprays are most effective on killing when sprayed on the leaves of a undamaged rapidly growing plant.

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When I removed the original stump it was growing up like a tree. Probably 4 foot tall. I hit the top with a chainsaw then drilled 5-6 holes and used the stump killer. Figuring it would die, but that year I had suckers really popping up hard everywhere. In a spot about 50 foot long and 20 foot wide. They have such an extensive underground system the glyphosate or concentrated triclopyr can’t get far enough in the roots to work. It will kill the tops no problem. To do that I might as well use hot water or vinegar. But the next day they’ll be popping up their ugly heads again. I have an onion bed over pro weed fabric they pop up in there. Through cardboard and in my avocado beds. Here’s a sneaky one from today trying to take over my avocado raised bed. I hope it doesn’t make the trees sickly from their roots. They look like ribozymes.

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2-4d might be your best killer, from my understanding it works by blocking the hormones that regulate growth and it starts growing uncontrollably and starves the roots killing it and it is absorbed only through the leaves.

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You just apply it on the leaves? I’ve heard of it but never seen anyone using it here. I think it’s illegal to sell and buy here. Neonicotinoids are banned for the most part. Not for tomato farmers.

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Is it illegal where you are? Here in kansas you can buy it in every walmart. 2-4d amine is the one you use in hot weather and 2-4d esther is the one you use in cool weather because it is more volatile.

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I forgot vine borers. They have made me completely give up on growing squash, zucchini, cucumbers and melons….

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I checked around it appears to be restricted and not available for shipping in Ca. :man_shrugging:

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