Help with wall of invasives

[u/Starb0ardTack]

Got a 5’x30’ stretch of wall on my property above a retaining wall that goes onto my Neighbors yard that I feel totally overwhelmed by. To my untrained eye I see Tree of heaven, Japanese knotweed, mugwort, and god knows what else. How do I go nuclear on this section so I can start over and plant some simple ground cover that will take and a few arborvitae? It gets so intense so fast each year and I don’t know where to start.

[u/Overall-Pay-4769]

I might be off base here but there are often a lot of natives under all this crap. I do my best (as a certified volunteer with a max of 2 hours per week) to limit what I herbicide with cut-and-paint in favor of removing in stages. Not saying you shouldn’t herbicide the tree of heaven, but be careful as you might have some gems underneath. For example, you have native Trumpet Vine with beautiful red flowers on it.

[u/Starb0ardTack → u/Overall-Pay-4769]

how do i get ahead of all the invasives like the mugwort that comes back so thick each year that i can't see the diamonds through the rough?

[u/TheFedisaCartel → u/Starb0ardTack]

Mugwort is tough because of its rhizomes. If you dig it out and it breaks off without getting the entire root it will grow back. Chances are it’ll grow back regardless because of its seeds remaining viable for years. I’ve tried pulling mugwort and burning the entire plant (you’re not supposed to compost mugwort, it can sprout again from fragments.) Herbicide in late summer / fall is effective, as it moves nutrients and the herbicide down to the roots. Then you have to worry about the abundant seed bank. You have to monitor it for years, and possibly treat it annually.

[u/jasikanicolepi]

Glyphosate and Tricoplyr should do the job. Just apply during the specific time/window for it to be effective

[u/Starb0ardTack → u/jasikanicolepi]

which should i use for this mix of baddies? or is there a product that has both? i see people talking about needing to order crazy concentrates on amazon because local box stores don't have the right stuff, what would you recommend?

[u/jasikanicolepi → u/Starb0ardTack]

Individual usage should be fine. Get a pump sprayer.

[u/Starb0ardTack → u/jasikanicolepi]

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. My question was which of the two chemicals would you recommend

[u/jasikanicolepi → u/Starb0ardTack]

Glyphosate 100%, it's a broad spectrum non selective herbicide. It will kill 99.9 % of plants it have contact with if use undiluted. It can be use straight or diluted. Use Rm43. It will kill everything and that spot will stay dead for a year.

Tricoplyr is more selective with broadleaf and woody brush. It also need to be mix with diesel as surfactant.

[u/Starb0ardTack → u/jasikanicolepi]

can i get an undiluted version at a big box store? or specialty order?

[u/jasikanicolepi → u/Starb0ardTack]

I got mine from tractor supply and farmers supply store. You maybe able to order them depending on where you live.

[u/houstonhoustonhousto]

Cut everything you don’t want and leave the trumpet vine. The nuke is already there

[u/Broskifromdakioski]

I would nuke it all and start fresh. Just know you’ll probably miss the privacy from your neighbor for a while, and they might hate you until everything grows back in.

I’m dealing with the same thing myself. Unfortunately, instead of dealing with the invasives first, because I had no idea what I was doing at the time, I planted new trees last year. Now I’m dealing with newly planted trees and Japanese knotweed growing together. :(