By Jessica Dillon
Kudzu has become a more prevalent issue in Henry County and Martinsville, even being discussed at a city council meeting a few months ago. The plant grows rapidly and can only be killed by digging up the root. Cutting it back is only a temporary fix in most cases, which inspired a recent business idea from Deb Desiderato’s son, Alex.
Alex recently moved from New York, where he studied for a business degree for four years.
“He has finally figured out that (kudzu) is what he wants to tackle. But he’s also interested in the other invasives as well, namely the tree of heaven, which is the preferred host to the spotted lanternfly,” Desiderato said.
She said she did not expect how big a kudzu problem existed locally, especially within the city.
“It’s just so sad to see it, you know, climbing everywhere. And not a whole lot is being done about it from what we can tell.”
The team has already visited several locations to pull up crown roots. They are looking into crowdfunding to purchase better tools, including a flail mower, a type of mower attachment that uses free-swinging blades (flails) attached to a rotating drum. Unlike a rotary mower that spins large rotary mower blades in a horizontal plane, a flail mower’s blades spin vertically around the drum, striking grass, weeds, and vegetation in a chopping motion, according to online information.
“It’s going to take some heavy-duty equipment to tackle kudzu. Obviously, it just comes back every year, and we want to prevent its regrowth,” Desiderato said.
One of their notable root hunts took place at Nelson Auto Salvage, a site with a large amount of kudzu.
“We actually got a good-sized crown root from across the street in the customer parking lot. And that was Alex’s first crown root, so he was excited to get it,” she said.
Desiderato said it can be nearly impossible to find crown roots when the leaves are thick. In the fall, the plant becomes more brittle, making roots easier to locate. They also looked into using goats, which are known for helping control kudzu, but the year-round upkeep would be difficult.
Now, “we’re about to go through our first fall of kudzu, so we want to see how dry it gets,” she said. “Once the foliage is removed, then how much easier it’s going to be to find the crown roots.”
The team is also interested in addressing the tree of heaven, a plant that multiplies when cut and can damage crops.
Martinsville resident Gay Smither voiced frustration with kudzu on her property and said she wants the city to adopt an ordinance.
“I’m 78 years old and stuck with a huge kudzu problem. I am about to pay $2,500 to get it cleaned up. I want to get the city to make an ordinance that people with kudzu on their property have to clean it up or be fined,” she said.
Smither added that many municipalities have enacted laws to help with kudzu control.
“I’m paying to have it dug up on my neighbor’s property. They let it go, and now I pay. The house is a rental,” she said, and added that she struggled to find a removal service and is now paying several thousand dollars to have one from Christiansburg address the problem.
While there are services for cutting the vine, it only makes the problem “worse,” she said, and Smither needs the root dug up to stop it completely. Smither said she plans to speak with the city council in December.
Desiderato said several residents have expressed similar concerns, and that some have volunteered to help with root crown removal.
