There are several good times for eradicating oriental bittersweet (but there are no bad times). Spring is the best time to pull small plants before their root structures become established. The best time to control seed crop is by cutting vines before the berries develop (by early June). If treatment with herbicide is needed any time will work but the most effective time is right now (mid-September to October 1st, more or less depending on weather).
Early fall is when plants are pulling nutrients down to the root system for storage over the winter. Any application of herbicide will also be pulled into the root system, which maximizes the effectiveness of the treatment. It is much better to have one effective treatment than treat ineffectively multiple times.
Treatment can be foliar for small plants, and cutting with treatment applied directly to the cut vine for larger plants (vines over 1/2 inch diameter). Do your research first and always use any herbicide in accordance with the label. Use the least possible amount to get the job done. Application to cut vines tends to use the least amount. Foliar sprays can impact beneficial insects and plants. If you can accomplish the job without herbicides that is preferred but some infestations are so bad that herbicides may need to be considered.
CLICK HERE for a good article explaining the fall treatment.
CLICK HERE for a fact sheet outlining treatment methods.
The decision as to whether to use any herbicide is up to the property owner. This site does not recommend any particular method. Property owners should do thorough research before making their decisions.
