Back in May, my parents came over for a day of trimming vines, cutting shrubs, removing the nasty Red Tips beside the house, and so forth. Hours and hours of yard work. Hard yard work.
Right before the wedding, we noticed a vine with rather large leaves growing among the jasmine along one side of our fence. Just a vine or two, no big deal. While we were gone on our honeymoon, my parents came over and took some of the vine down, including a hunk that had jumped from the fence to the crepe myrtle in the back yard.
Then it started to rain. It rained several times while we were gone. I think it has rained almost every day since we returned. Afternoon storms are not unusual this time of year. Rain, lots of rain.
And the vine grew. And grew. And grew.
When my parents were over yesterday, my Mom offered to come over this morning to help me clear out the vine. Remember, it’s HOT here in Houston. Right now it’s 89, and weather.com says it “feels like 97”. It’s even worse when the sun is beating down on you. Add to that the fact that there is Mexican Heather plants right in front of where the main clump of vine was growing – and the bees love that during the middle of the day.
I got out of bed this morning, got dressed, covered myself in mosquito repellant, got the fire ant killing stuff ready for when they attacked (and they did attack) and started hacking at the damn vines.
Freaking Air Potato Vines that weren’t there just a month ago. They almost grow right before your eyes.
I worked for about 2.5 hours. My Mom joined me for 2 hours. We cut down two FULL lawn & leaf bags worth of vines, plus another kitchen trash bag of them. Huge vines. Leaves as big as your head almost. Baby vines that were sprouting up all over. So many vines. I would have been easier to contract the new Brisbane mowing business.
By the time we finished, our clothes were soaking wet. I wish I was kidding, but at 11 am we were just drenched from all the work.
If I see another air potato vine, I might break down and cry.
And I know I will see them again. This vine just won’t stop. In Gainesville, Florida they did an air potato roundup and picked more than 8 TONS of air potatoes. I don’t think there are that many in my yard, but I am sure there are still some out there waiting for me.
The thing that really gets me? My Dad went to the nursery with one of the potato seed things, and the guy says that they sell them! I found message boards with people looking for these seeds. Why?!? I wouldn’t wish that vine on my worst enemy!
While standing on the step ladder, trying to pull more of the vine out of my tree, I made a horrid discovery. My neighbors have some of the vine on their fence too. I just hope they didn’t intentionally plant it there. There is just no escape!
