Ivy can easily become invasive and cause structural damage to your home, but Brittany Bailey has shared her “absolute easiest” way to remove it from your garden
English ivy might add a touch of green elegance to your garden space, but when it oversteps its welcome, be prepared for an invasion that could decimate your dearest flora, not to mention the potential havoc it can wreak on your building exteriors. While it’s part of the British landscape, English ivy has been known to choke the life out of nearby plants by muscling in on their vital resources – water, light and soil nutrients.
And talk about clingy – it can scale up walls and fences, creeping into every crevice, causing possibly irreparable structural damage if it goes unchallenged.
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But fear no more! Garden expert Brittany Bailey of Pretty Handy Girl fame claims she’s cracked the code with the “absolute easiest” method to banish ivy from your blooms for good, declaring: “No back-breaking pulling or bending over. This is truly the best way to remove English ivy.”
Brittany advises suiting up in protective gear – sturdy work boots, full-length sleeves, trousers, gardening gloves and safety goggles – as ivy can house an array of critters you’d rather not meet.
To tackle the tendrils effectively, get snipping, says Brittany, then follow up with your choice of herbicide or a homemade potion to ensure a full-on cull.
Ivy’s waxy leaves make it tough to kill, yet slicing through its vines exposes the plant to absorbing an ivy-annihilating potion with ease.
Use loppers or pruners to chop the ivy near ground level, then gingerly yank on the roots, taking care not to rip off the climbers and harm whatever they’re clinging to.
Brittany warned: “Resist the urge to pull the vines off because it can damage the bark. Once the ivy dies the greenery will turn brown and will eventually fall off.”
Tackling ivy on the ground? Zip through the task with a mower- just clear the ivy’s surroundings first.
The best bet for banishing ivy is a weed killer packing glyphosate, triclopyr, and imazapyr, though for eco-warriors, there’s a greener concoction.
Brittany advised: “If you want to go natural, you can use one gallon of white vinegar mixed with a teaspoon of dish soap, just be very careful not to get this mixture on any plants or trees you want to keep.”
One week later, expect the ivy to start perishing and easing its grasp. Then a simple garden rake should do to expunge grounded vines, reports the Express.
Brittany said: “If any roots resist raking, use a hoe to dig the roots out. This process will be much easier after a rainy day as the ground will be softer.”
Keep a watchful eye on the area where the ivy once was for a few weeks to ensure no new shoots start sprouting. This method is the most effective and simplest way to permanently banish ivy from your garden.