Seed Saturday - 'Chucky' versus Porcelain Vine

When I first purchased my home, I was so excited to see what I thought were grape vines on the chain link fence. It was only when I actually started working I the yard did I discover it wasn't grape vine. It was the dreaded, invasive, part of the Tier 1 of invasive plants in North Carolina - porcelain vine.

It is a pretty vine. I only wish the rest of my garden grew as fast and as prolifically as this vine does. Birds do love the berries. Which means they eat the berries and then sit on the fence and poop them out all along the fence. And into the yard. And soon you are buried in porcelain vine. 

I don't use poisons in my yard. While I try to explain is it because I am environmentally conscious. The truth is I am terribly bad about want to pick and eat other things from the garden. And I don't want to worry about ingesting something I shouldn't. In order words, I'm lazy. 

So instead, I get mad at the vines all over the yard (morning glory is my #2 foe) and start attempting to yank them out from the ground. Of course, with red clay and little rainfall, it doesn't work out well. Plus, since I rarely wear gloves, my hands get torn up. 

Recently I have discovered I have a new neighbor. And he likes to eat porcelain vine!

'Chucky', as I call him, is not missing any meals. Between my mess of a back yard and the next door neighbor's mown lawn (the neighbor is never seen outside by the way), he is well fed. Chucky lives in the creek area behind our homes and has apparently made a couple of pathways in and/or over the fences. 

Personally, I like Chucky. He is a neat eater, leaving only the pits of the peaches which he eats off the ground. I know there are those out there who would be in an uproar over his presence in my garden area. I have already been offered a trap to catch him in. But I figure, as long as he dines on the porcelain vine too...well, eat away Chucky.

Note: Chucky's name may be changed to 'Chunky' soon. He is definitely not having a hard time foraging for food.