How to get rid of ivy

[Pharming!]

I began clearing out a corner of my yard that was overrun with ivy.

I took a weed wacker to it and got it down quite a bit. But how should i go about completely getting rid of it? Should I spray it with something first to kill it? Or just find a way to dig it all out?

I'm not sure exactly what kind it is, but I have had a couple of people tell me that it is not one of the very invasive kinds. I would like to plant something else in that area and lay some mulch down once it is all gone. I also want to keep the hydrangeas as well.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Late last year I had a similar problem but mine was English Ivy; it was highly invasive covering ground and climbing trees; I simply put on a pair of rigger gloves and ripped the lot out by hand; I don't like using chemicals but surprisingly once I made a way in I found it quite enjoyable and the exercise would be beneficial especially on such bitterly cold days. The ivy had climbed to the very top of our large Hawthorn tree forming a flowered crown; at the base of the tree the ivy had trunks which I cut through; if the roots put out more growth this year I'll spot feed some killer onto them. I then used a spade and dug the whole area over where I could reach; if ever the soil dries out I'll attack it further with the new petrol rotavator Bron kindly bought for for Christmas. Good luck.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Daren]

That's Not Ivy It is a Ground cover flowering plant that is often Planted To Supress Weeds Its Name is Vinca minor. or commonly known as small periwinkle,

If you are trying to remove Digging with a Fork Is the best way Just get used to looking for there roots Don't just pull the Greenery as it can Happily be Cut Right back to soil & will Grow Back

 

[Sean Regan]

This has come up before.

Ivy sort of "creeps up on you."

We had some ivy that "ate" two fence panels.

Fortunately it was mainly confined to a couple of main roots and I was able to dig it out.

It didn't come back. We planted something else instead, which is more manageable

 

[DirtMechanic]

Here in Bama we have Kudzu that can eat your whole house.

 

[alp]

Daren is right. It's vinca. Oh, crumbs! I bought 3 tubs to hide the back of my dump.

 

[roadrunner]

I would till it into the ground with a shovel and heavily mulch with woodchips or leaves. I'm sure some suckers will pop up, but I'd just snip it at first sight and add it to the mulch and over time the roots should die.

 

[alp]

Or you could pot some up whenever they come up. They are very nice drapers. That's why I bought 3 pot @ £1 each.

 

[johnny canoe]

I remember our family trip to the UK and seeing great majestic trees who's trunks were totally covered in ivy. I loved the look at the time, but I was only 10yrs old. Later I understood the harm ivy can cause.

 

[alp]

I remember our family trip to the UK and seeing great majestic trees who's trunks were totally covered in ivy. I loved the look at the time, but I was only 10yrs old. Later I understood the harm ivy can cause.

No laughing matter. Nasty neighbour's one went into the felt of my workshop, into the air vent. Biological weather will sooner or later cause more and more damage! This one has nasty big air roots. But guess what, they are supposed to purify the air. I need a lot of these now. I am going to propagator mother in law's tongue. Let me go and get the soil sterilised first and I will create more of my own fresh oxygen tomorrow by propagating the leaves. .

 

[johnny canoe]

Don't let me slow you down, you go! lol

 

[Daren]

Ivy Is Not all Bad. I Like seeing it But Don't want It Everywhere. If you was to Ask the Small Birds they would Ask you to Leave it I'm sure, as it is a Great place to Nest & Hide. It Can make a Vary Boring Fence Look Alive just like a Hedge. It Can and Dose Harm Tree's But then its Been here Just as long as the Trees so dose Have the Right to Clime a Few As For Vinca It is easy to remove If you don't like it. You just need a Garden Fork

 

[Pharming!]

Thanks for the help, I will be trying out the garden fork this weekend! It didn't look horrible, but was definitely overgrown, and covered such a big area that I think has some much better potential!

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Remove English Ivy

 

[Steve @ Celtic Farm]

My 2 cents: To completely remove the ivy, follow these steps:

1. Cut the ivy down as close to the ground as possible.
2. If you opt for herbicides, apply a glyphosate-based product carefully according to the instructions. Avoid spraying on hydrangeas or other wanted plants.
3. For a non-chemical method, cover the area with thick black plastic for several weeks to block sunlight and kill the ivy.
4. After the ivy has died, dig it out, ensuring you remove as much root material as possible to prevent regrowth.
5. Regularly monitor the area and manually remove any new ivy shoots that appear.
6. Once the ivy is cleared, enrich the soil, plant your new plants, and mulch to suppress any ivy that might reemerge.

Be persistent as it may take several attempts to completely eradicate the ivy.