Ivy is one of those plants in the garden that spread rapidly. They take up large areas, climb along house walls and walls or grow rampant on trees. Ivy can cause considerable damage if left unchecked. Tips and tricks on how to remove ivy permanently.

When removing very old ivy there is a risk of damaging the masonry

When do you need to remove ivy?

Ivy shoots can cause significant damage to masonry. They get stuck in joints and holes and widen them.

Trees, even large old ones, can be so crushed by the ivy tendrils that they die.

It can therefore make sense not to let ivy grow too much and to free masonry and other plants from the tendrils.

What is important when fighting ivy?

Ivy spreads over the shoots, where adhesive roots develop. The clinging roots bury themselves in everything that gives them support:

  • Earth
  • wooden walls
  • masonry
  • trees

Even small ivy remnants quickly form new offshoots. If you want to permanently remove ivy, you must ensure that all shoots and roots are carefully removed from floors, walls or other surfaces.

How to remove ivy as a ground cover

If the ivy has overgrown a larger area as ground cover, it is best to start at the edge to remove the plants. If possible, cut off any thicker shoots that you can reach with secateurs or a small saw. Pull out the tendrils, making sure you catch as many roots as possible.
When the area above ground is clear of ivy, you need to get the roots out of the ground. If necessary, moisten the soil as this will make the work easier.

Poke the ground with a digging fork and lift up the earth. Often you can then simply pull out the roots. With very old ivy plants, however, the only option is to grab a spade and dig up the roots.

Remove ivy from walls and house walls

If the ivy has climbed up walls and walls, the damage done can be considerable. In order not to make matters worse, you have to work carefully. This is especially true when the ivy roots have dug into joints.

Dampen the wall with the ivy. Always start from above to carefully pull the long tendrils out of the masonry. If thicker shoots cannot be pulled out, cut them into smaller parts with pruning shears. You then have to dig up the roots of the ivy so that it does not sprout again.

Once the wall is free of ivy, scrub it with a stiff brush and a solution of dish soap and water. This not only serves the purpose of getting the masonry clean again, you also remove any remaining ivy root residue.

Remove ivy from trees

If a tree is overgrown with ivy, first check how healthy the tree is. If it cannot be saved anyway, you can save yourself the work.

To remove ivy from a tree, cut through all the ivy shoots at a height of about 1.50 meters and pull them downwards. This is easier when the tree is damp. If necessary, you should hose it down with water beforehand. The upper tendrils can remain on the tree if they are not too thick and the adhesive roots have not penetrated the tree bark too much. These shoots dry up and then fall off.

Next, be sure to dig up all of the ivy roots around the tree.

Can Roundup remove ivy?

When ivy is rampant, many gardeners turn to chemicals like Roundup or Glyphosath. Even if it is easy to read on the packaging, these remedies are not permanently effective and are not recommended because of their high toxicity to other plants.

With Roundup and other means, you can achieve that the leaf masses die off at the top and some of the small adhesive roots are also destroyed. However, you will not reach deep roots with it. The ivy will sprout again, so after a while you will face the same problem again.

Protect hands and airways from ivy

Because ivy is poisonous and contact with bare skin can cause dermatitis, always wear gloves when removing ivy.

Even the smallest particles that are released during cutting can be harmful if they get into the respiratory tract. It is therefore advisable to wear a breathing mask during this work.

tips

Never leave ivy cuttings and roots lying around, but dispose of them as soon as possible. Otherwise there is a risk of poisoning for pets. In addition, new adhesive roots form on the cut shoots, through which the ivy spreads again in the garden.

Category:

Indoor plants