It is taking over my yard, garden and even the ditch. Is digging it all up the only way? I assume there must be some kind of herbicide that would kill it? I don't use chemicals as a rule, but this has developed into a BIG problem!

It's going to be a tough job that will probably take a few years to totally eradicate it. You need to start cutting back all of the vines and find the main trunks of the plants. If they are growing up through trees, don't try to pull them out of the trees just let them die naturally once cut. Pull the vines out once they are completely dead and dried out.

Once you've cleared out the area and have the main trunks left, spray the trunks with a total vegetation killer then put a bucket or something that will not let light through over the stump. Watch closely around the trunk to see if any new shoots are appearing from the roots and hit them with weed killer. Make sure you get the tops and bottoms of the leaves.

Some people suggest digging out the trunks right away but I think doing this only encourages the roots to produce new plants. I used this method to eradicate honeysuckle and it took 2 years to finally kill the stump.

Not knowing what your zone is or where you live, it's hard to say how long it's going to take, but once you've found the main trunks of the plants and have removed the vines, the hard part is over but you must remain vigilant in looking for new growth.

Thanks, Anne, for such a detailed response! Do you have any idea how far underground the main trunk will throw out sprouts? This is my crazy idea: dig aroung the main trunk (after cutting off the top growth) and pour cement. It can't grow through cement, you wouldn't think!

I really don't know how spread out they are .. The problem with cutting roots is that the main trunk probably is producing anti-gibberellens .. gibberellic acid, GA3 is a plant hormone that encourages plant growth. I'm sure you've notice that when you prune a plant that lateral growth, side shoots start developing. Plant tips produce an anti-gibberellen which suppresses lateral growth. By removing the tip you are encouraging growth by removing the source of the anti-gibberellens. I'm thinking that the trunk is probably doing the same thing, suppressing plant growth with anti-gibberellens so roots won't grow into new plants close to the main trunk that will compete for nutrients and water. The longer the roots, the less effect the anti-gibberellens have on the roots - probably why you see new plants popping up away from the main trunk.

This is all speculation on my part but I think the logic is sound.