Getting rid of ivy in your garden can be a very difficult task. The plant’s resilience and luxuriant growth make killing it difficult – however, it is not impossible.
Gardening enthusiast Brittany Bailey, otherwise known as Pretty Hand Girlshared what she calls the “easiest way to get rid of English ivy forever.” The Express informs she said, “This really is the easiest and most effective way to get rid of English ivy forever.”
Describing ivy as one of the “biggest annoying plants” in her yard, Brittany said the problem is that it’s growing out of control. She noted that English ivy “chokes trees, covers the grown and keeps growing” which makes it the “perfect place for rodents”.
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The expert said that with his ivy removal method, you don’t have to break your back pulling it out by hand. Instead his method is “the fastest and most effective way” to remove the plant.
Brittany starts by putting on protective clothing, safety glasses and gloves. He then stated that “the key to defeating English ivy is to first cut or score the vines.” The “fastest way” to do this is to use a string trimmer, like this one from B&Q which retails for £37.
Or if you have a flat area without rocks, dips or big hazards, you can use a lawnmower like this one from B&Q which currently retails for £59.
For ivy that has grown a tree, cut the vines around the trunk with garden loopers, like these which retail for £8.99 from Gardening Expressthen chill the ivy several feet away from the tree making sure to cut any vines that run over the tree’s roots.
Resist the urge to pull the vines from the tree as this can damage the tree. Eventually, they will die and release their hold.
Brittany noted that the next step is to use a chemical weed killer, but for those who want to keep the natural path, she suggests using white vinegar.
She said: “Alternatively, you can use a natural spray by filling a garden sprayer with white vinegar and dish soap. The soap helps the vinegar stick to the ivy. Just be careful not to spray the mixture near the plants you want to keep.”
When applying this solution, Brittany stated that it is best to use it on a date when it is sunny and no rain is expected for a day or two later.
Returning to her ivy plant a few weeks later, Brittany noted that this is when you can remove the plant “all the way.”
She said, “Now the ivy has weakened its grip on the ground and all you have to do is take a garden rake and start raking the ivy.” Wickes has a highly rated garden rake which retails for just £13.50.
For those who encounter any ivy that is “deep rooted”, you can “save your back” by using a garden hoe, like this one from Gardening Express for £24.99to strike the roots.
