English ivy is admired by many for its lush, cascading greenery that can enhance a building’s beauty. But to others, it’s simply an invasive nuisance.
As a matter of fact, English ivy is considered one of the most invasive ivy species, according to Surrey Wildlife Trust.
Due to its aggressive growth, which can quickly overwhelm garden spaces and climb up the walls of buildings, getting rid of it is no easy feat.
Its thick, glossy leaves not only create a dense cover that blocks sunlight, suffocating other plants beneath, but the vine’s roots can penetrate and damage structures, leading to cracks in walls and roofs, the Royal Horticultural Society explains.
Once established, removing English ivy is particularly challenging because its strong root system can regenerate from even small fragments, making eradication difficult without repeated treatments, says the Ecological Landscape Alliance.
Nevertheless, there are solutions to end English ivy’s dominance in your property.
Gardening expert Trevor Wright, who has a BSc in horticulture, has shared five steps that will help gardeners effectively eliminate ivy from their garden once and for all.
Step one: Cut the ivy
To start the procedure of removing English ivy, you will need clean and sharp secateurs, a fork/spade and glyphosate weed killer.
Start by cutting the main trunk of the ivy around three to four inches above ground level.
“This will kill any ivy that is above ground and make it easier to begin removing the roots,” Trevor explained.
Once the stem is cut, it’s recommended to leave any ivy that has climbed a structure or tree for about two weeks to die back, as this makes removal “easier.”
Step two: Lift the main root ball
Using your fork or spade, dig into the soil about eight to 10 inches away from the ivy stump, going as deep as you can.
Then, lever the fork towards you to break up the soil and lift the main root structure. Once the primary roots are exposed, pull them out.
If the roots are still firmly anchored, you can either cut them with a spade or trace their path and lift them with your fork in a similar manner.
Step three: Locate the straggler and pull them up
Depending on the size of the ivy, you may have had to cut through some of the roots growing laterally.
If so, it’s important to identify the direction they’re growing in and carefully lift them as best as possible.
Step four: Apply glyphosate weed killer
Dab some glyphosate weed killer on the ends of the exposed roots to “reduce the chance of the plant growing back”.
Applying glyphosate weed killer will lead to a “higher success rate in removing ivy roots for good” but it is your own choice whether you use it, Express.co.uk previously reported.
Step five: Pull up new growth
For the final step, gardeners should keep an eye on the area.
If any new ivy shoots appear, simply pull them up as you would with weeds.
