Is our gigantic ancient English ivy taking over the universe?
Yes, friends. Our long wooden fence and the ivy covering it have disappeared. Our home had English ivy covering the fence when we moved in. No, we did not plant it as English ivy is considered invasive for good reason. The ivy has gone crazy in growth, reaching ten feet high and eight feet wide. This photo shows me standing near the fence along the alley, in our yard. Or possibly me in the Amazon jungle. You decide.
You can not drive through the alley because there are gigantic city owned trees growing in the alley in the area of our back fence. But people occasionally walk through it.
Stay tuned for my next post showing the area after ivy removal and fence removal, and soon our new fence. Sad to say, you can never completely remove this tenacious ivy. The contractor who removed it says it will grow sprouts which will need to be dealt with. They brought it a special machine to gouge out the thick trunks and roots near the surface, and ripped out the top few inches of soil and ivy in an eight foot wide area. Any tips on preventing regrowth gladly accepted and desperately needed.
24 comments:
Hi Terra! Wow! I hope it stays away after going to all the trouble to remove it! I hope you are having a happy week.
I can't recommend you anything. Ivy is one tricky plant. I had some planted because I wanted some fences covered. For years, almost 10 it was nothing to talk about. So one day I got crazy and ripped all off. I no longer wanted Ivy if she wasn't going to do "its job".
Do you know what happened next? I got my fences covered in no time. And it keeps growing. But I like it. But I asked everyone for growing tips and people couldn't exactly pin point the trick.
Take Care and Have Fun!
Teresa
Sorry - Don't have an answer.
I have some vinca vine I have tried to get rid of over the years, but it just keeps returning.
Have a good week.
Few people ever plant an invasive plant and expect it to really be invasive. The only time they are right is if they move in five years. I have spent many hours over the years pulling out many generations of both mint and ivy. I have since relocated and it is now another's problem.
I've had that problem with a wisteria and a fairy clematis. They grew unabated with runners going everywhere. We had to rip them out many times before they finally gave out. I wish I had that problem with roses, etc.
Wow - that's a lot of ivy! Looking forward to the next post.
no advise but looking forward to see the after photos.
All I know, from experience, is that ivy spreads like wildfire!
Wow that ivy has gone wild.
Sorry no tips about keeping it away.
That is too bad that it is taking over. Maybe vinegar & hot water on the plants.
warmly,
deb
It is a most tenacious plant. I am very impressed at your bravery in tackling that huge hedge. My partner pours a little diesel on the roots of plants he wants to kill but I suspect that's not very p.c
Jane xx
Hi Terra .. unfortunately keep pulling up - but ivy does provide wonderful nectar for bees .. so when it's flowering leave before keeping it under control ... it's also good for lots of wildlife ... so let it run a little ..
Cheers Hilary
Go to Lowes, and buy a can of Tordon, stump killer. Paint it on every available stump of the ivy vines. Every time you cut a new sprout back, paint it with the Tordon. You'll kill it off soon that way.
Oh my goodness, that does look like the Amazon!!! Will tune in soon to see the progress/
Oh My....who would have thought Ivy could grow that big. I sure hope you can find a way to tame it.
Hi, Ivy is a lot like Bamboo-you can never get over it. Hope you have a great weekend. Can't wait to see your after photos.
Hugs, Noreen
Oh dear, that is a huge amount of ivy. It will look so much better when it's all gone. We just don't notice how it takes over do we! Well done for getting to grips with it.
Terra,
Wow, look at all that ivy! Your post really hit home for me because I had a house years ago, and they had ivy growing all across the fence in the back yard. Guess who removed all of it with her bare hands - ME! It is really hard to remove, and I can't wait to see how yours looks when it's all finished. Yes, it grows back too, so it can be a nuisance.
Have a lovely weekend.
~Sheri
Wow,that is a lot of Ivy. I will be looking forward to your next post.
Carla
WOW that's a lot of ivy.....can't wait to see after pics!
Wow! That's huge! I sure wish you could send some my way since I live in a country where it is hard to get anything to grow. :) Best wishes, Tammy
Can't wait to see the "after" photos. That is a lot of ivy. It looks so pretty with trails on walls but it is invasive for sure. I'm surprised you have trees in your alley. I guess the city doesn't use it. Our city picks up trash and the utilities run in the alley so all trees are trimmed back.
That is awesome. As a child I always thought vine covered cottages were so pretty, then someone told me how they take over and are difficult to get rid of. Good luck with your removal plans.
What a great effort in the garden. Hope you are quite satisfied. We are so lucky to tend gardens, even when it's hard...
Kind regards
Olympia
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