Uses of Colonizer Species in the NorthEastern U.S

Each of these plants are quite common throughout the NorthEastern, and on occasion SouthEastern, U.S. All of these listed species aggressively suffocate surrounding plants & trees. After killing the surrounding plant life they quickly form dense thickets that cover most soil in perpetual shade even throughout most of the winter… and in the process block out any possibility for native seeds or plants to germinate. I’ve listed the various colonizer species I’ve experimented with and their uses below:

•Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)

A prolific and fast growing vine that quickly covers shrubs, trees, and just about anything else you can think of. The vines are thick and woody; rapidly growing and expanding from early Spring to Mid Fall. Both the bark and leaves look very similar to native grape species, but the berries range from pink to purple to light or occasionally dark blue; peppered with specks of black. Out of all the colonizer species I’ve worked with, this one is the fastest & most efficient at accumulating nutrients within it’s structures… and one of the most aggressive in the New England area. I find Porcelain Berry usually starts to enter spaces after mugwort has been established; frequently accompanied by morning glory or bindweed. Any remnants of the roots or chopped up live vines will vigorously regrow new plants when exposed to soil and water.

CONSTRUCTION AND CRAFTS

In terms of structures I’ve found two uses for the vines. For starters they make very good makeshift trellises for vegetables or plants in gardens & wild spaces. Considering that Porcelain Berry is usually forumd near Mugwort, the two can make for a great combination. Harvest mugwort stalks in the early fall and cut my off all seeds attached. Stick the stalks in the ground (you can also use other materials for this if desired) and weave a series of small-medium sized porcelain berry vines along multiple points. Attach the porcelain berry vines to the stalks with twine. The second is for large natural wall structures. If harvesting medium-large Porcelain Berry vines, pound a set of 6 or more posts in the ground in a relatively straight line. Weave the vines through all these posts from the point where they reach the ground all the way up to the top of the posts. Once complete, squish together a combination of clay-dominant soil with straw and water- then cover the woven wall with the soil-straw mixture. You can apply this concept for various structures ranging from natural ovens to entire structures.

The vines are somewhat flexible and are most easily used when freshly harvested during the Spring. Nowhere near enough for weaving basket bottoms or small baskets though; they break very easily when trying to weave tightly together. I’ve tried creating broad trays with them, but even then the pieces were too warped and twisted; leaving large gaps that break easily when trying to fill in. That being said, I’ve had some mild success with using Porcelain Berry for the walls of large baskets.

FERTILIZER

Although live Porcelain Berry aggressively regrows from cuttings, there is a way to simultaneously kill off the live vines and extract a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer! Start by removing any roots and berries from the plants; the roots will release chemicals toxic to some plants and the berries have a chance at surviving the process. Throw as large of a bundle of the live vines as you can into a bucket of water- ranging anywhere from a mason jar to a 5 gallon bucket to a huge tank. The larger the container the longer the fertilizer will last. Fill the container with the vines, a handful of leaf litter and decomposing soil from a nearby native forest floor , and any various nutrient-rich plants from your garden or backyard such as dandelion, curly dock, or burdock leaves (you can also use some grass clippings!). Place a heavy weight, stone or piece of wood on top of the material to help it stay submerged below the water and cover the container with a spare cloth or piece of clothing. Better yet a sealable lid(Trust me your nose will thank you). Keep the mixture submerged in water for a minimum of 4 weeks before straining the water; and keep the vines in the water for a minimum of two months even if you have to continuously re-cover them with water before removing them. After the 4 week mark, you can strain the water through an old sock or cheesecloth that you dedicate to the task forever. You can dilute this nutrient dense fertilizer into a watering can. The longer the mixture has soaked, the more potent it will be. The more potent the mixture is the, the less you need to add to the watering can. Apply this fertilizer to your gardens once every 4-6 weeks depending on the plants. I personally use a ratio of 1:500 or 1:1000 just to be safe with younger plants. After soaking for the 2 month minimum, remove the materials and sun-soak them until relatively dry. You can use this dried material as mulch in your gardens; where you can pluck out any fresh sprouts. Do NOT put the materials in the wild as there’s a chance it will sprout new invasive plants.

MULCHING

The chipped up vines of porcelainberry; especially older-growth, thicker vines; are a great nutrient dense mulching material. That being said, the vines readily re-root from large enough cuttings and the berries can introduce seeds into the seed bank that proliferate for decades to come. All that being said, I would recommend harvesting the vines in late Spring- early summer; when they have fluid running through them and are fairly more pliable. Porcelainberry often spread long vines over the canopy of trees and shrubs; and those vines can be pulled down relatively easily; leaving you with abundant biomass with little work. I’ll include a video below soon to demonstrate. After harvesting the vines I would recommend using an electric or gas powered chipper to break up the vines. Be careful not to harvest or chip the roots; as they can release toxins that prevent seed germination & growth in other plants. After chipping, place the porcelainberry in a dedicated “woodchip” pile. Leave the material there for a minimum of 2-4 weeks and consistently soak with diluted JADAM homemade fertilizer to speed up the decomposition progress. The longer the chips sit the better; and you can pull up any new growth plants and simply rechip them. After the chips decay a fair bit, spread them out on any garden beds or wild sites you may be working with; but only if it’s in an area that has consistent human interaction & maintenance.

•Border Privet (Ligustrum obtusifolium)

MULCHING

    Border Privot is a rapidly spreading tree species that readily re-roots itself from its branches while producing a prolific amount of seeds (which unfortunately many of our native birds enjoy and spread). The trees grow rapidly and will continuously regrow after being cut back to the stump. That being said, this tree also makes for an incredible source of biomass. I have experimented with a couple of properties in the NorthEast wherein I cut back the BorderPrivot continuously throughout the season. When I do, I chop it up and leave the chips to sit in a pile; spraying/watering the pile with diluted JADAM liquid fertilizer every 2-3 days. After a couple of weeks of letting the woodchips sit, I simply throw them onto the garden as a nutrient dense mulch. The only thing you have to look out for is the seeds; if you see black berries on any of the branches make sure to either remove them or wait for next season to harvest the wood. If the berries get chipped up, even after sitting in a pile, they will rapidly spread more Border Privot wherever you lay the mulch.

•Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)