And a question about kudzu

Aside form how to model the stuff, does anybody know when it became so ubiquitous?  I know it was introduced in or around the early '30s, to control erosion.  I model southern Virginia in the late '30s and early '40s, so I'm wondering if it would already have covered as much of the countryside as it does today.  In other words, do I even need to worry about how to model it?

Kudzu history

Ken,

From Wikipedia:

"Kudzu was introduced from Japan into the United States at the Japanese pavilion in the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. ^[24] It is now common along roadsides and other undisturbed areas throughout most of the southeastern United States. Kudzu has been spreading at the rate of 150,000 acres (61,000 ha) annually"

If you want to model it 1 to 1 scale, simply open a widow or door to your layout room and it will find it's way in!

Rick

Rick That was funny, but

Rick

That was funny, but unfortunately all to true.  If your outside and stand still too long, you will get overgrown.  The story I was always told was that it was brought to the US to be a cheap cattle and hog feed - but I don't know how true that is.

Ken

I was thinking about how to model kudzu just last week because I want to set my layout in South Alabama.  I have not tried this yet, but what do you think of this.  If you take a long thin piece of thread to represent the vine, spray it with hair spray (or some other type of adhesive) then drag the thread thru extra fine ground foam so it is lightly coated.  After it all has dried, put your "vines" between piece of wax paper and flatten the foam with a rolling pen to make the flat flaky leaves.  After that you could spray paint them with what ever color is appropriate for the season you are modeling.   Or in  place of thread, use an old hair net - stretch it out and glue the foam to it, flatten it out and the drape it over your scenery.   My rememberence is that kudzu was always growing on top of everything.

Like I said this is just an idea and I have not tried it yet, but maybe it can be a starting point.  Whatver you do - make sure that you also cover sheds, trucks, cows, hogs,  phone poles,  mother-in-laws, signs, etc.

Multiple methods

Jim,

I think it may take a multiple method approach.  You idea on how to represent the vines is a pretty good one, I think.  It may be better to get the foam wet with a glossy green paint, and press it between sheets of plastic or silicone parchment paper, under weight.  That way the paint will hold the foam flat.  I think that, if you just roll it, the foam will just spring back.

The vines would be needed for things like trees and at the edges, where you can see the individual vines.  For the mass of Kudzu, you really can't see the vines - it's just a pile of green leaves.  So for that, it may be better to leave the vines out and just do the foam.

I wish there was a good flat leaf-like product or material.  My fallen leaves would work, except they're the wrong color and I'm not sure how well they would take paint.

Ken, What about Noch Leaf Flake?

Ken,

Have you looked at the Noch product leaf flake?  You could use the black poly fiber and pull it very thin.  Next spray it with spay adhesive and then sprinkle it with the flakes.

Here's the product and it's available in a number of colors.

Here's some of the flake applied to poly fiber on a tree.  I think that if you did a heavy application to the fiber it would look pretty good.  If you want me to test that theory I'll be glad to do it and post pictures.

Rick

After you get the kudzu on

After you get the kudzu on the layout, you will need to model several herbicides sprayer tank cars for you maintenance of way set. Remember kudzu can grow at over a foot a day. Just get some Monsanto tank cars, add some Roundup decals, lots of corrosion, a couple of nozzles on the top, color the dead kudzu along the track "straw" and your all set - Just like the prototypes. 

I have had to fight kudzu growing in my garden layouts.  Here in Tennessee it can be a loosing battle.

I didn't know about leaf flake

Thanks for the info, Rick.  I had not heard about that product, and it looks like it may be ideal for making kudzu.  I agree that a heavy application would look about right - and I still think it needs some gloss to simulate the waxiness of the leaves.

That tree in the photo looks like it may already be covered with kudzu!

Rick That looks about

Rick

That looks about perfect - much better than my idea.   I'm going to make myself a note about this.  And if you do test it, please post results.  I know I will need some kudsu someday too.