And about the critters and the synthetic herbicides...
The OTHER fence line in my back yard, on the other side from the one with the "double fence" situation, I cleared of grapevines by hand. And when I was out there tugging on them, I disturbed a rather large, harmless snake. It moved along the back of the house and onto the other side. I am afraid it or its descendants are living there still, feeding on chipmunks and such as it had apparently been doing since a lifetime before I arrived here.
So I guess I will cut out the fence (OH my aching back!), cut the offending plants to the ground, cover with cardboard and mulch until I can buy my fruit trees to espalier on my chain link fence.........
OH! My aching back!!!!
