Greetings to everyone in our county, state and country. This is an urgent call to all. As most already know: We are being overtaken. No, not what you may think, but by Kudzu. Immediate action is needed!

Our counties and states do a great job keeping the grass cut along our roadways. However, I have noticed that while we the taxpayers pay for these services, the mowers and trimmers are carrying this invasive vine from one property to the next. It only takes a small piece to take root.

 Once it takes root, there is a new location where it grows a foot a day. This vine will not only take over a property (our home) but it will also kill our trees, shrubs and flowers. We all need to be contacting our county, state and federal road commissioners etc. to try to address and minimize this growing problem (including decreased property value).

After recently going to look at some property that was put on the market to sell, I left immediately when I saw that the Kudzu had overtaken and killed most all the trees. I believe if we will all work together, we can at least slow down this terrible plant brought from Japan so many years ago. Kudzu was introduced in the U.S. in 1876. From 1935 to the 1950s farmers were encouraged to plant Kudzu to reduce soil erosion.

If you see it growing on your property please try to control or totally destroy it. This is not an easy job, but we must take quick action before this vine takes over what we’ve worked so hard to have (our home). One way I found was not easy, but I began to pull up the vine (roots and all). After several months of evenings and weekends, I finally found what seem to be the first and biggest base and roots of it all. After digging and burning, it finally seems to at least be under some control. Let’s do this not only for ourselves, but our children, grandchildren and neighborhoods for generations to come.

Please do some research about this plant. You will find its origin, data, control and much more! Thank you for your time and help.

G. Allen Boyd

Marble Hill