Save Ligustrum, destroy Creeper & Pepper

Hi!

I started cleaning up the back fence of my yard a while ago, where there was plenty of Brazilian Pepper and Virginia Creeper overtaking what I think are Ligustrum trees, which I want to keep because they are fairly well established and provide some privacy and shade that I wish to keep.

It's now a couple weeks later, and even though I drilled the Pepper trunks and applied brush killer and roundup, the darned things are still putting out new growth. I think I just need to keep putting poison in the trunk holes...

Now, the Creeper I didn't really treat at all, besides cutting off the vines until they were maybe 2-3 feet of vine out of the ground - so I understand why they're showing signs of growth. I had left that much above to remember where they were, because I WAS planning to try to dig them badasses out of the ground to save the Ligustrums from poison. The Creeper is all over the Ligustrums' root system. But the task of digging them biyotches out is going to be impossible for me and my bad back to accomplish. Just cutting the stuff I could see was dangerous enough for me to attempt alone.

Is there anything I can try to kill the Creeper without hurting the trees they were growing on?

Thanks!
Rose

Rose, use a small paint brush dipped in straight Roundup and paint the new growth on the peppervine....but remember Roundup needs sun and active growth in order to work. For the creeper, cut a couple inches off the trunk and paint the cut with Roundup...it make take a few applications, but it will work

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissis) can be quite persistent. Glyphosate will work, though. This herbicide is pretty much deactivated by contact with the soil, and most active when the plant is growing. So wait until the creeper has a nice cover of leaves, then spray to target the leaves. If the Ligustrum has brown bark then a little over spray onto the older bark is not a problem. Be aware that if it has grown onto a neighbor's property and is not killed over there it will come right back onto your side of the property line.

Brazillian Pepper (Schinus terebinthefolius) has a very aggressive root system. My father had one where the top froze, but the roots sprouted all along the concrete sidewalk and driveway. We maintain it like a hedge, now!
Anyway, Glyphosate may work on it, also. Painting it on directly is very time consuming, but is the safest way to apply stronger solutions.

For a stronger herbicide for either of these plants, look for something that controls poison ivy, black berries and similar plants. Caution: Some herbicides remain active in the soil, or can be translocated from one plant to another when their roots are in contact. Glysophate is not like this, but some others are, especially the herbicides for woody plants.

If you are planning on planting something else in the areas where the pepper or creeper are now you will want to hire a strong back to dig out the Pepper roots. They can be thick and strong, and get in the way of preparing the soil or digging holes for new plants.
While an older Virginia Creeper can have a respectable trunk, the roots are more fibrous, and will rot after they die so that re-planting in the area is not so difficult.

Thanks for the tips!

After I keep trying to kill these terrible plants, I'm planning to cover the ground in the tree corner and surrounding area with fabric and wood chips so I can put out potted plant arrangements and get rid of a lot of grass that has to get mowed. I've started killing the grass in the surrounding area already, by smothering it with cardboard and black plastic.

Someday I plan in-ground or raised gardens in those areas, but not until I wait out the rotting of creeper vine roots, and have a better idea of what I'd even plant there. I've got plenty of other areas of the yard to play with that aren't so troublesome while I wait!