[TowerTalk] Vines, guys and radials !

[Guy L. Olinger]

You wouldn't be living on a kudzu farm, would you?

Jim Reid wrote:
> 
> Ok,  enough.
> 
> The heavy rains stopped about 3 weeks ago;  had lots of sun since mid-July.
> So it was time this morning to run the lines in the outback to check
> for vine activity.  Even if we are still having a few hundredth inch of
> rain early each morning.
> 
> What a shock;  in three weeks the vine blanket was at least 4 feet deep!
> Up the poles supporting my verticals;  up the guy lines;  and most
> upsetting all over the radials.  This was/is obviously too big a job
> for clearing with a machete!
> 
> I have never done this before, because of environmental feelings,  and
> I really do like the "jungle" feeling near by.  But, this was too much.
> 
> So,  I bought some Round Up this morning,  and had at them.  I had
> a tough time wading along the radials;  ever try plowing through super
> deep vines,  with your ankles and legs constantly getting entwined
> in them,  tripping and falling;  but all the time keeping the spray
> from the Round Up going??  Lot of fun,  but the vines have got
> to be discouraged.  Probably not a problem many of you have
> had to face,  unless you too live in the tropics,  hi.
> 
> I sprayed about 2 or 3 feet each side of the radials,  all about
> the tie  down points for guys,  top hat wires support ropes,  and
> all about the base area around each of the six verticals back
> there.  A vine was at least 25 feet up on one of the 80 meter
> vertical guys!  Two long radials on each of the 80 and 160
> verticals were completely hidden and buried;  the vines
> in places being 2 feet deep over the top of the elevated
> radials,  matted and so thick impossible to pull away from
> the radial wires.  I hope the Round Up will kill them off,
> allow them to dry,  then I should be able to clear away the
> debris,  I hope.
> 
> Will know in a few days if this is going to work.  Anyone else
> been faced with incredibly rapid growing vine problem?
> 
> 73,  Jim,  KH7M
> 
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-- 
Guy L. Olinger K2AV
k2av@qsl.net
Apex, NC, USA

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