Hi Scot: My name is Jim Mezo from Evansville, IN and I do cemetery restoration work professionally. Yes, the weed killer will damage stones over time and is not recommended. I would recommend just mowing and that will probably eventually kill out the vines. There is a plants that were used as ground cover in cemeteries of old that is a kind of substitute for grass. You are right at first looking at protecting what you have without further damage. I would be interested in assisting or doing the restoration, depending on your specific location. I have been trained through the Indiana Historical Society by a Mr. John Walters and do have some practical experience in a few cemeteries. Please let me know if I can be of assistance. Have a great day and good luck, Jim -----Original Message----- From: scotstout@aol.com [mailto:scotstout@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:20 PM To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [INPCRP] questions hello, everyone. i have some questions i'm hoping you can help answer. here's the situation. a large cemetery in KY has been abandoned for at least 60 years. it is full of very large trees, some of which have fallen. the entire graveyard is covered with vinca minor, a ground cover. vinca is a vine, but does not attach itself to anything like ivy does. it causes no damage to the stones and does not climb the trees. it has pretty much kept most other weeds under control, but it does not choke out tree seedlings, obviously. a cousin who is a farmer has mentioned using a weed killer on the vinca. i'm concerned that the chemicals may damage the stones. does anyone know what the ramifications of a weedkiller on tombstones? in case you're wondering, my cousins and i DO want to have the cemetery restored. right now we're just trying to keep it protected until we're able to reach that goal. thanks, scot ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of "UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version)

Hi Scott, I have one cemetery that is covered with Vinca or Myrtle as well. It creates a beautiful site that, like you said, stops the growth of weeds and such. Not trees, but most weeds. The one in our county is on a bluff and it is probably holding the soil on the hillside. I wouldn't dream of killing this groundcover. I remember hearing years ago this was purposely put there by our pioneers to do the job. I've thought the same thing you have about finding the missing pieces in the mass of greenery. My best guess would be to mow the area in the late fall and then do the search for stones as early as possible in the year. When you are done with your restoration this would probably fill in again in a few years. Sorry folks, I just can not see using weed killer on this ground cover. It takes care of the problem of not mowing and stops the growth very well. And like you said Scott, there is not damage to the tombstones as it doesn't climb. Here is the photo link for the one I mentioned above. http://www.rootsweb.com/~intcpcrg/1-Pictures/NewCastle.JPG & a page that explains the plants use. http://landscaping.about.com/cs/pestcontrol/a/deer_cover_4.htm L.A. Clugh > Hi Scot: > > My name is Jim Mezo from Evansville, IN and I do cemetery restoration > work professionally. Yes, the weed killer will damage stones over time > and is not recommended. I would recommend just mowing and that will > probably eventually kill out the vines. There is a plants that were > used as ground cover in cemeteries of old that is a kind of substitute > for grass. > > You are right at first looking at protecting what you have without > further damage. > > I would be interested in assisting or doing the restoration, depending > on your specific location. I have been trained through the Indiana > Historical Society by a Mr. John Walters and do have some practical > experience in a few cemeteries. Please let me know if I can be of > assistance. > > Have a great day and good luck, > Jim > > -----Original Message----- > From: scotstout@aol.com [mailto:scotstout@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:20 PM > To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [INPCRP] questions > > hello, everyone. i have some questions i'm hoping you can help answer. > here's the situation. a large cemetery in KY has been abandoned for at > least 60 years. it is full of very large trees, some of which have > fallen. the entire graveyard is covered with vinca minor, a ground > cover. vinca is a vine, but does not attach itself to anything like ivy > does. it causes no damage to the stones and does not climb the trees. > it has pretty much kept most other weeds under control, but it does not > choke out tree seedlings, obviously. > > a cousin who is a farmer has mentioned using a weed killer on the vinca. > i'm concerned that the chemicals may damage the stones. does anyone > know what the ramifications of a weedkiller on tombstones? > > in case you're wondering, my cousins and i DO want to have the cemetery > restored. right now we're just trying to keep it protected until we're > able to reach that goal. > > thanks, > > scot > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of "UNSUBSCRIBE" to > INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com > or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version) > > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of > England and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli: > "Show me the manner in which a nation or community > cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical > exactness the tender mercies of its people, their > respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty > to high ideals." > >