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How can I get rid of ivy?

Ivy, ivy, ivy.
Ivy climbing up the shed. Ivy taking over the yard. I stepped out of the shower and ivy was reaching for my ankle.
How do I kill the stuff until it's dead? You know- without dangerous chemicals.

All Day Breakfast asked in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Gold-head_small
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    Fnarf

    Here's the sorry truth: you can't get rid of ivy. Ivy is the source of all the evil in the world; the roots go down to the center of the earth, where they lie in wait for opportunities to put out new shoots.

    There's a few things you can do for mitigation, though. First off, strip it off of everything and haul it away. Be aware that ivy is one of those magic plants that can reroot itself from any fragment, so if you leave a bit lying around -- a leaf, a stem -- it will turn into a whole new ivy plant. See what I mean about evil?

    You'll hear people say "oh, just cut it and the part above will die". Not really. And even if it does, it's still weighing down your building and trees and whatnot, and blocking their light. You want to get it all out of there.

    Next, start going back to the roots. Ivy is spectacularly good at winding its roots around things, including other plants and trees, parts of your house, rocks, and whatever you've got. Follow ALL of those strands back, and dig down, and kill as much as you possibly can. Kill, kill, kill. Note that some of these roots will be as large as your arm or leg. KILL THEM.

    If you can afford to have your yard look like a dump for several years, you can really do a lot of damage to ivy by putting down black plastic and several layers of cardboard to completely block out all the light. Ivy needs light to survive. But you have to leave it there for FIVE YEARS, and be vigilant about the new growth that will magically appear at the edges.

    If you can't do that, you're going to have to face the fact that it WILL be back. At least once a year, go back and zap any and all new vines you see a-creeping, and follow them back to their source, where you will inevitably find new, larger root systems that you missed before.

    Killing ivy is not a destination but a journey, in other words. Two hundred years from now when you and I are long gone, and possibly even human civilization, the spot where your house was will be marked by a towering mound of ivy. I guarantee it.

    Fnarf answered in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report
    2 comments by All Day Breakfast and keshmeshi…
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  • Copy_of_jimmylee_small
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    Nair.

    Dina Martina answered in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report
    3 comments by Fnarf, All Day Breakfast, and Master Gardener Andrea…
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  • Dsc_0339_small
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    Master Gardener Andrea

    You have my sympathy! Here's more info then you probably want to know about ivy removal:

    From “King County’s WEED BULLETIN - KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL PROGRAM- English ivy – Herea Helix”
    http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/water-and-land/weeds/BMPs/english-ivy-control.pdf

    “English ivy is a Class C Noxious Weed of Concern in King County - control is strongly encouraged although not currently required. The County Weed Board recommends control and containment of existing populations and discourages new plantings of invasive cultivars. For control requirements in other areas, please contact the county noxious weed control program.

    MANUAL CONTROL:
    Even though it is labor intensive, the most effective control method is manual removal. Depending on the site, several other manual control options are also effective. NOTE: Remove all cut stems from soil contact. Wear gloves and protective clothing. The sap can cause a reaction in some people.
    • Remove flowers or seed heads you can reach.
    • Hand pull or dig out accessible plants.
    • Mowing is effective in areas that are mowed regularly. Clippings need to be removed.
    • Mulching – apply an 8” thick mulch layer. The plants can be cut or removed and then mulched, or a mulch layer can be directly applied on top of plants. This is not an option in steep areas.

    CHEMICAL CONTROL:
    Controlling established English ivy with herbicides is not very successful because of the waxy leaves. There is also a risk to non-target plants from run-off of the waxy leaves. English ivy is considered tolerant of many commonly used herbicides. Some success has been achieved by carefully selecting herbicides and focusing applications on young, actively growing plants. If herbicides are used, make sure that their use is allowed at your site. Certain herbicides can not be used in aquatic areas or their buffers. When using an herbicide follow all label directions. Contact your local noxious weed control program for control guidelines in your area.”

    From WSU Hortsense: http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense. Click on Weeds and then on ivy. Hortsense suggests the same mechanical removal and about chemicals: "When using glyphosate (Brandname: Round-up), it is best to cut or mow the ivy back as much as possible, and then paint the injured areas of cambium with the herbicide. NOTE: Some ingredients listed here are only available in combination. Read the label carefully on combination products to make sure the product is suitable for your specific situation."

    Clearly, there's no quick fix!

    Master Gardener Andrea answered in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Subcultureoftwo_small
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    Sweat and diligence. We exterminated the ivy waste in our backyard a few years ago, and it just takes a lot of effort. Pull up all the vines. Pull them slowly and firmly, by the roots. You can cut ivy at the base of trees and then pull it down pretty easily...sometimes from 40 feet up.

    Go back in a few weeks. Pull up any new sprouts. Repeat. Monitor it for YEARS and be merciless. Your neighbors probably have it too, so watch for it encroaching from their properties.

    If you have friendly neighbors, it helps to do ivy-pulling parties, like barn-raisings. It's good for morale and everyone wins.

    If you have a lot of ivy and limited space in your yard waste, make a pledge to fill your yard waste with ivy EVERY week until it is gone.

    English ivy is a horribly invasive species in Seattle and I applaud your efforts!

    Sacrelicious answered in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Avatar_default
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    I have had decent luck pulling it out. It will try to come back from any root remnants and if any nearby neighbors have unmanaged ivy then birds will eat the berries and can drop seeds in their droppings. It is an annual management thing, but done thoroughly the first time it isn't hard to keep in check.

    Do wear gloves as you can develop contact dermatitis from contact with the sap of english ivy.

    agness answered in Pest Control/Weeds about 1 year ago | Report
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