How to Kill a Creeping Vine Without Killing the Flowers Planted Nearby

Creeping vines such as ivy or kudzu get out of control if they are not properly maintained. After a while you might notice the invasive plants climbing walls, trees or other structures. If you have a vine that is no longer manageable, it can be destroyed without harming nearby plants as long as the proper techniques are employed.

Gloves
Herbicide
Black plastic
Stones
Drop cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Pull up as much of the vine as possible by hand. Wearing gloves, pull it up in handfuls. Throw it in a garbage bag, not a compost pile. Leave bits of the vine in the ground as targets for herbicide.
- 2
  Choose a selective translocated herbicide, such as 2,4-D or dicamba, that is not harmful to plants. Translocated herbicides must be absorbed through the plant and stems. This type of herbicide is inactive in the soil, so nearby plants cannot be harmed from absorbing through the roots.
- 3
  Cover surrounding plants with a plastic drop cloth.
- 4
  Spray the remainder of the creeping vine with the herbicide, per label instructions.
- 5
  Cover the vine area with a dark plastic, securing it with stones.
- 6
  Remove the drop cloth from the non-targeted plants.
- 7
  Leave the dark plastic over the vine area for at least one week. Vegetation cannot live without light, and it will die from the combination of covering and herbicide.

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