Ground covers are popular, easy-care surface ornaments - but sometimes they can also be annoying. And not only in terms of optics and usury, but also in terms of removal. Read below to find out how to get to the root of the problem.
Ground covers don't have very deep roots
When ground covers become too stubborn
Ground covers are all too popular as weed killers - after all, many have very dense, shading and impenetrable properties that are perfect for weed suppression. But it is precisely these properties that can become a problem if the ground cover is to give way - there can be various reasons for this, for example:
- It is increasingly beginning to spread to neighboring beds
- due to lack of care and age, it is simply no longer attractive
- the area is to be redesigned
Especially with the particularly good covering ground cover, the removal including the root system is of course not easy. Their growth is often densely branched and omnipresent in the ground due to above-ground or underground runner systems. In addition, runner systems ensure that even the smallest plant remains, which are overlooked during removal, sprout again undeterred and fresh and vital.
Remove roots from tough ground covers
Ivy is particularly dominant, almost desperate to survive. Using his example, we want to drill through the ground cover root removal once. Ivy forms a strong network of runners, which is also equipped with adhesive roots - this means there is a high risk of regrowth.
Dig up thoroughly and dismember as little as possible
After you have cut off the above-ground shoots and pulled out thin tendrils by hand, you should dig up the root system as thoroughly as possible. To do this, it is best to use a digging fork and loosen up the soil in order to pull out the root strands in one piece. A rough dismemberment by spade or even motor hoe work leaves too many root residues in the ground, which can germinate again.
A tip: water the soil before digging it up to soften it and make it easier to pull out the roots.
Plant residues in the bin
So that you don't get the ivy again elsewhere in the garden, dispose of the plant remains in the organic waste bin - and not on the compost. Even shoots and root remains that appear dead can easily come to life again here.
In case of emergency: herbicide
If you can't get through the root system at all, you can also use a herbicide - however, with regard to the environment and your immediate garden biotope, this should only be an emergency solution.