Question
HI LAURA -

HOPE YOU CAN HELP, IF NOT DIRECT ME WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS....

I LIVE IN TEXAS AND I BOUGHT LAND AND CLEARED IT.  HAVE THOUSANDS OF VINES COMING UP OUT OF GROUND WITH THORNS AND ONCE DUG UP THEY ARE ATTACHED TO TUBARS (LOOKS LIKE CLUSTERS OF POTATOES.  SOME ARE GROWING CLOSE TO BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES AND SOME WRAP THEMSELVES AROUND TREES AND CLIMB....ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO KILLS THESE OFF SO I CAN PUT IN LANDSCAPING AND LAWN?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP...

Answer
Dee,
You are exactly right when you said they look like potatos.It is more than likely a wild potato vine,which have nothing to do with actual potato plants.They are extremely difficult to get out because they usually break off before you can get to the tubers or roots of the vine. You may have to actually dig them all up.I was not aware of them having thorns though.Maybe they are a different type than what I am used to seeing. I HATE those things because they ramble VERY rapidly over entire beds.One of my customers had them and it was a gardeners nightmare.
You may want to try brush killer if there are no good plants that they are growing on. Go to the garden center and look for brush killer that is right beside the weed killer.Brush killer is for taller groups of weeds and vines.You may have to repeat the application several times.I would wait for a hot sunny day.It works quicker.Good luck on killing those horrible things and with your new garden.