How to Kill Vines in Flower Beds

Vines can take over and cause major damage in your flower bed. Common vines include Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and roundleaf greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia), which spread easily and quickly, climbing over surfaces and other vegetation. Since the vines are in close proximity to your flowers, herbicides are not the best choice for eradication. There are other ways to kill vines in your flower beds. Virginia creeper grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3B through 10, while roundleaf greenbrier grows in zones 7 through 10.

Things You'll Need

• Garden gloves
• Pruning shears
• Mulch
• Spade

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Put on a pair of garden gloves. Gently remove any vines that are wrapped around the flowers. If the vines are too tough to remove without damaging the flowers, carefully cut them into smaller pieces with pruning shears.

   • 2

     Follow the vine to the soil and dig up the roots with a spade. Remove as much of the root system as you can to prevent any regrowth.

   • 3

     Gather any flowers or seeds from the vines, and dispose of them in the trash along with the vines and roots.

   • 4

     Place a layer of mulch around the flowers 2 to 4 inches deep to reduce future vines and weed growth. Try wood chips, straw, sawdust or other organic materials.