Easiest way to get rid of english ivy?

Question

I'm purchasing a home (closing on it in 5 days), and I would like to know what is the easiest way to get rid of/kill english ivy? It's covering aprox 1/2 of the front yard. . . and its UGLY! Just to give you some background info. . . this house is a flip, and it will be back for sale by april/may 2008. With that said this is something i need to take care of ASAP (doing the outdoor landscaping hopefully before the first snowfall). Is there something that would work good to kill this or should i just by pass that and dig it out? I've never had to deal with this before, and any suggestions would help.

Answer 1

Once it's well established, English Ivy is almost impossible to get rid of, as you've probably figured out by now. Even the coldest winter won't kill the roots. You can use a weed wacker and cut the stuff to the ground, but it only comes back thicker.

The only sure method I know of is to completely dig up all roots, and I mean ALL of them. The other method is to use a brush or vegetation killer, and I'm not sure you want to do this.

My recommendation: Borrow or rent a garden tiller. Till up all the ground where the ivy is established. Then start raking the leaves, roots and all ivy debris into piles to be bagged later. You may want to repeat this tilling and raking process a couple times to be sure you have removed all the ivy roots. Once you're rid of the ivy, and you've smoothed the ground, cover the bare area where you tilled up the ivy with a nice sod.

Edit: Tip: If you do decide to use a brush killer, or other type of chemical, be aware that you may not be able to replant in the treated area for several weeks.

Answer 2

The roots on English Ivy are not that deep, but if it has been there a few decades, they can be quite a tangle. We started by mowing it set on the high setting, then mowing it on the low setting to get the volume down a bit. Then we covered it with black plastic weighted down with chips for a season. When we uncovered it in the spring, it was easier to pull out, rolling it up like a carpet. If it is actively growing you can kill it with Roundup but the leaves are so sturdy that you might want to spray them with a soap solution to help the Roundup stick better. This really is a nasty invasive plant. Readers: Don't buy any at a garden center as a ground cover, once it climbs up a tree, it kills the tree and none of the local animal life gets any nutrition from it.

Answer 3

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Easiest way to get rid of english ivy?
I'm purchasing a home (closing on it in 5 days), and I would like to know what is the easiest way to get rid of/kill english ivy? It's covering aprox 1/2 of the front yard. . . and its UGLY! Just to give you some background info. . . this house is a flip, and it will be back for sale by...

Answer 4

English Ivy is tough to eradicate (as you have probably figured out). Its waxy leaves render most herbicides ineffective, yet hand pulling can be impractical if you're covering a large area. Make sure you wear gloves when you're cutting and hand pulling. Some people develop a contact rash on their skin from touching ivy sap. If you continue to cut and remove the ivy by hand, the good news is you can expect the second year to require only 10% the amount of effort as the first year and the third year to require only 10% the effort of the second year.

I'm never a proponent of herbicide use. It kills beneficial plants and soil microbes and worse, it compromises water quality. That said, if you're considering a two-pronged approach (hand pulling plus chemicals), you're going to need to apply an herbicide containing glyphosate (like Round Up Pro). It's best to mow the ivy down first and then paint the herbicide on to fresh cuts in the plant stems. Be very careful to only apply it to the ivy.

One problem with using Round Up Pro is that it can be very damaging to nearby tree species, especially conifers. They are supposedly less susceptible to this damage in the fall, although how much less susceptible no one knows. Unfortunately, Round Up Pro (specifically) is supposed to be most effective if applied to English Ivy in the spring (during new leaf growth). You can expect to repeat your efforts several times no matter what approach you take, so you may want to apply it now, and wait until spring to evaluate your success. In any case, you will want to use something designed specifically for woody plants.

Answer 5

How To Kill English Ivy

Answer 6

pour boiling water on the base of the plant where it goes into the ground. I've never tried this on ivy, but it works well on blackberry brambles, so I don't see why it wouldn't work here!

Answer 7

First rip off as much as you can to the ground. Then from Home Depot or your local hardware store buy Vegetation killer. Spray that on what left on the ground and it won't come back.