Weaving

[CrealCritter]

My degree was supposed to be in Basket Weaving But like most things in life, it turned into something else.

I have a lot of willows around here I would like to do away with also. Can't find a use for the other than firewood.

 

[Fixit]

Your talking of vines and weaving brought this to mind .

Kudzu Baskets

kudzu baskets, native american cards, art greeting cards, quilled cards, flower greeting cards, kudzu cabin nancy basket, pine needle baskets, kudzu flowers, basket making classes, cradleboards

nancybasket.com

When your weaving material can grow as much as 2 foot a day on can do a lot of weaving .

 

[CrealCritter]

Your talking of vines and weaving brought this to mind .

Kudzu Baskets

kudzu baskets, native american cards, art greeting cards, quilled cards, flower greeting cards, kudzu cabin nancy basket, pine needle baskets, kudzu flowers, basket making classes, cradleboards

nancybasket.com

When your weaving material can grow as much as 2 foot a day on can do a lot of weaving .

Kudzu is pretty wild stuff. I wouldn't leave my truck window cracked around that stuff. Since I've heard stories from loggers in NC, about kudzu filling up the cab of a log skidder over a long weekend. While traveling on some of the NC back roads, you can see where kudzu has taken over forests. I don't know how tall it can grow but it can climb a tree easily.

But wow take a look at that website, a kudzu bale barn and kudzu recipes. I never knew you could eat zudzu, that's something new to me. I wonder what it tastes like? Has anyone tried it?

Kudzu Recipes

kudzu baskets, native american cards, art greeting cards, quilled cards, flower greeting cards, kudzu cabin nancy basket, pine needle baskets, kudzu flowers, basket making classes, cradleboards

nancybasket.com

 

[Mini Horses]

Goats like kudzu. Read somewhere it had a fair amount of protein as an animal feed source. But that may be seasonal, as some forage does change it's makeup with weather. Fortunately none around here. Yep, it can takeover!!

 

[Hinotori]

The whole plant of kudzu is edible to humans.

You can buy kudzu root powder for cooking. Usually under the moniker Japanese arrowroot powder.


If it wasn't an invasive, it would be great to plant. Of course if you're in an area it's already growing, animals like it.

Didn't help any in the US that they planted it for erosion control on road margins and other places. That was how it really spread.

 

[Britesea]

I'm guessing it tastes similar to other greens? I know each type has their own flavor profile, but they all share a certain amount of "green-ness"

 

[Fixit]

Ok looks like I hijacked a thread!
As far as eating it . I have had kudzu jelly which has a certain amount of grape smell and flavor to it . Also kudzu honey .
Some times I harvest the leaves and use them instead of grape leaves to make dolmas . Tender vine tips are said to be good but haven't tried them .

 

[baymule]

What about weaving a living willow fence? Stick them in the ground and start weaving!

 

[Britesea]

Willow roots very readily. In fact, you can make an excellent rooting hormone mixture using willow. Just put some cuttings in water and let them root, then save the water to help other plants root. I think it's the salicylic acid in the willow.

 

[Fixit]

That should work but I normally see that done with Osage orange trees. They plant young trees 8 to 10 feet apart . Once they are established they bend down a branch both directions and put a rock on it with a bit sticking out . It roots and sends out branches that are bent down to root. In about 4 years it is to the point that even a pig can't get through it. Plus what most people don't know is that the fruit is eatable.