Eradicating Ti Leaves

[Mike_Lowery]

There's a spot in my yard that had ti leaves growing for over 20 years. I dug it out because of termites, but the ti leaves keep coming back. I've used shovels and picks to get all the roots out, but apparently it's hard to get all of it by hand. Herbicides have been ineffective.

Any suggestions?

[1stwahine]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves

You didn't say if you planted the t-leaves. I assume you didn't. The t-leaves were planted for a purpose. I know of many old timers who plant t-leaves around their homes for protection aginst evil. Of course, it's leaves is well known to be used for many purposes such as cooking, skirts, etc. etc.

Due to many years in it's place...it's roots goes deeper. No matter what you do ~ da t-leaves going reappear.

Leave it alone!

Auntie Lynn

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves

Enjoy them. Make laulaus and sumon.

[Peshkwe]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves

Try spreading the ground with amorphous diatomaceous earth, it grinds away at the hard shelled bodies of the termites and they die from moisture loss. Add in some boric acid powder and you'll have a pretty good non-toxic bug killer so that the ti can grow and you can still cook with it or use it however without worrying about being poisoned.

This site talks about some biologicals like nematodes to deal with them but you'd have to check with the agricultural department to see if they were available locally or even importable if not.

http://www.onthehouse.com/wp/19930802

{edit}

If you go with the di-earth wear a breathing mask and goggles and place it gently on a calm day, the stuff is like super fine ground glass and it'll scratch up delicate eye tissues and cut up your lungs if it's inhaled. Once it's down it'll be fine and safe for pets and kids, it's just the initial application you have to be careful with.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves

Try spreading the ground with amorphous diatomaceous earth, it grinds away at the hard shelled bodies of the termites and they die from moisture loss. Add in some boric acid powder and you'll have a pretty good non-toxic bug killer so that the ti can grow and you can still cook with it or use it however without worrying about being poisoned.

This site talks about some biologicals like nematodes to deal with them but you'd have to check with the agricultural department to see if they were available locally or even importable if not.

http://www.onthehouse.com/wp/19930802

{edit}

If you go with the di-earth wear a breathing mask and goggles and place it gently on a calm day, the stuff is like super fine ground glass and it'll scratch up delicate eye tissues and cut up your lungs if it's inhaled. Once it's down it'll be fine and safe for pets and kids, it's just the initial application you have to be careful with.

Uh...thanks, but I'm trying to kill ti leaf plants.

[1stwahine]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves



http://kalama.doe.hawaii.edu/~design...ts/ctileaf.htm

"This story takes place in the Mesic"

"Many Hawaiians believed that if there is a danger in a river, pond or anywhere you would want to swim in you should throw a Ti leaf into the water. Ti leafs are found in the Mesic area which is the place between the Uka and the Kai.This worked anywhere there was a danger. If the ti leaf sinks and disapears from your sight, you shouldn't cross because what ever danger there was in the water is there. But if it doesn't sink and flows around with the current, it is safe to cross and the danger has passed."

"Like in the Hawaiian times there was a giant mo'o and a shark that lived in a place where people would pass. What they would do is throw a ti leaf into the water where they lived and see if it floated or sank. This was used anywhere there was a danger."

"Some tourists think if they wrap a rock from a heiau with ti leaf no spirits will harm them. Hawaiians tease them and call it "Tourist Laulau" because it looks like a laulau. Laulau is a food and it looks like this: it is covered with ti leaf and has chicken, pork, or other things in it But it was bad luck if you did touch a rock from a heiau."

"Sometimes I throw a ti leaf into the river just to be safe in case something is lurking in the water."

I got this information from Plants Of Old Hawaii by Lois Lucas"

Auntie Lynn

[Peshkwe]

Re: Eradicating Ti Leaves

If you really want to get rid of em, looks like you'll have to dig up the tap root.

But ya may not want to totally get rid of all of em considering the potential medicinal properties of the leaves and roots:

http://kms.kapalama.ksbe.edu/project...eaf/index.html

http://kms.kapalama.ksbe.edu/project...eaf/index.html


http://www.canoeplants.com/ki.html