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Author Topic: Powered By Kudzu  (Read 344 times)

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Offline garmonbozia

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Powered By Kudzu
« on: June 21, 2008, 08:48:12 PM »
Well it's about damn time somebody though of this.  Anything to get the US off heavy oil dependency.

Here's what the stuff looks like:




Some researcher in Canada has the idea of using this stuff instead of corn to make ethanol.  It's got big starchy roots that can easily be mashed up with yeast and fermented.  The stuff's a very aggressive invasive plant species, and has practically consumed the southeastern US, so it's not like it's difficult to grow or something.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/06/19/KUDZU_biofuel_ethanol.html?cxntnid=biz062008e


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Offline renaeden

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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2008, 12:02:13 AM »
Makes sense. It looks nice in the first picture.
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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2008, 06:30:17 AM »
How quick does it grow?
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"Eat it up.  Wear it out.  Make it do or do without." 

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Offline Tesla

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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2008, 08:14:34 AM »
It grows REALLY fast, about 60ft per season.  It was brought into the states from Japan to help combat erosion.  Well, it worked, and a bit too well.  It completely took the fuck over.  It completely consumes the landscape, strangling out the native plants and trees.  It's a nuisance.
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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2008, 09:35:59 AM »
Looks good to me but they will have to learn to control it or it will get out of hand
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"Eat it up.  Wear it out.  Make it do or do without." 

'People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.'
George Bernard Shaw

Offline garmonbozia

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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2008, 03:28:22 PM »
Probably wouldn't even have to set up fields just for it.  Just like some garbage collection services have yard waste day, they could have a kudzu day, where you bring all your dug-up kudzu to the curb and they go through the neighborhood and pick it up.
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Offline Callaway

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Re: Powered By Kudzu
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2008, 12:10:45 PM »
Those kudzu roots go really deep, so they would be a big pain to dig up.

I don't think even Round-up kills it once it becomes established, though.

It is very sensitive to frost, so it is the last thing in Spring to start growing, but it does grow very quickly once it gets started.

Its flowers are pretty and smell nice, kind of like grapes.



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