Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I am best off stating first that the plant or whatever it is classed as is NOT in our garden as such (as in it's roots anyway), so digging it out or attacking the roots with something isn't really an option.

Originally, the problem was in our front garden from the house down from us, and in a flash it seemed to have spread like wildfire in our garden. It helped destroy our fence, so I tried to pull some out from their side, but they seem happy with it being there (imo because there is less for them to have to look after, even though they don't work). I tried spraying weedkiller on what was at our side but than this year the stuff has even started coming up through our paving and along the wall of our house, so I've pulled it out as best as possible, but it just keeps growing.

To make matters worse, I went to cut the grass out back, and the back behind our shed is covered in the stuff from the other house up from us. They also don't work, but pay the council to look after the garden, which appears to only consist of strimming the grass a couple of times a year.

Can anyone suggest anything I can do from within my garden to kill the stuff off? I can pretty much guarantee speaking to either will result in nothing happening from their side, or just cause hassle. I would just set fire to the stuff if I thought it would work, but I would prefer not to sacrifice any more fences.

Any help greatly appreciated.

David Lock

And here's me who has been trying, unsuccessfully, to grow some ivy up a wall I built for a couple of years

What's wrong with a bit of ivy anyway?

But I am not enough of an expert - obviously - to advise although I do know that it spreads everywhere once it takes hold. I can only suggest a barrier stuck in the ground but I expect that is not practical and it would probably find its way under. I guess its just a regular cutting/pruning job?

Or move......

d

Slugmeister

Also an ivy fan!
Light a BBQ next to it, most plants do not like being scortched!
Could end up in a neighbour dispute if you end up killing it at the roots, so you need to make it an unsuitable climate once it has made it over the fence!

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately, because the roots are there it will ALWAYS come back.

When its out of control it is a royal PITA. I recently had to cut out 3 wheelie bin loads of the stuff (and that was after it was mulched through the shredder ).

Its back again, but now the majority has been removed its just a case of wizzing round with the puner cutting off anything new before it has chance to take hold again. Not ideal, but that's gardens for you.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Been fighting it nine years here in France, that and brambles which grow like triffids

The ONLY way is to cut/break it off at the growing stems that are in the ground, prize it off whatever it's grabbed onto and leave a gap, then attack the remaining bit still in the ground with a paraquat based weedkiller.

Or dig it out, as you said, but you can't do that

urban

iTrader: (1)

Its a curse and its just takes over.

Lisawrx - best way I've found to stem growth is to cut back as much as
possible and ensure you remove all, or as much green as you can.

David Lock

Nah let it grow everywhere, re-name the place Ivy Cottage, stick a blue plaque on the wall and you could probably get American tourists to pay to look around

dl

tony de wonderful

g7prs

iTrader: (5)

I am sure a late night visit with something nasty poured in the area of the roots would solve the problem

Leslie

Spraying the leaves with Roundup solution might do it. It is systemic and gets down to the roots.

Les

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Is there anything nasty enough, but that wouldn't harm their kids?

I've tried spraying weedkiller (think it was weedol max) before and it just keeps coming back. Looks like it'll just be a constant job.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Plenty. As I've said, it wrecked my fence, meaning we had to buy a new one. As the neighbours don't work, I didn't see the point in asking for anything towards it. It is now coming up through the paving and it's choking the shrubs in the corner of my garden.

The worst part is, I really don't think either particularly like the stuff, it's just that neither can be bothered to do anything in thier gardens (as said, one has basic maintenance done by the council-their garden spends most of the time covered in dog ****). These people are not keen gardeners, lazy more like. I'm not a gardening fan either, but I like to try and keep the area looking half decent, and ivy trailing all over the ground doesn't look tidy.

And don't get me started on the nettle stuff and trees that are blocking my window.......

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Post a couple of pics of the demon weed


Shaun

scottydog137

iTrader: (2)

Battery acid is the only way iv'e been told,

Unfortuntely it isn't Child or Environment friendly!!!

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I'll try and get some later. The front isn't shocking at the mo as I've not long pulled it up as best as possible, but it just keeps coming back.

ScoobyWeb

ammonium sulphamate, You can buy it on ebay in powdered form and then just add water. It was the main ingredient in "Ivy Killer" until it was banned for not going through the proper testing. I believe its an ingredient in "root out" too so you could just buy some of that.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Thank you, I'll look into that.

forister

iTrader: (1)

put some derv on kill it real good

Chip

Dip the newest shoots in some Weedol for a few days. It will soak it up and get back to the roots.

Chip

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I'll get some at work tomorrow, and keep my fingers crossed. Are you fairly sure it'll go back to the roots?

Chip

Yeah, use Weedol rootkill.

Chip

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Well funny you should say that, we had an accident at work which resulted in some oil leaking out into the waste ground behind the building which at the time was a forrest of brambles, sycamore saplings, nettles and various other weeds. We'd clear it every year and the next year it would be as bad as the last.

It wasn't a massive spillage as most of it was contained on teh tarmaced area, so we mopped up as much as we could with lots lots of kitty litter, but unavoidably the adjacent waste ground did get contaminated a little (Sorry Greenpeace).

Well lets just say this. We no longer have a overgrowth problem, no brambles, nettles, weeds or sycamores, its all dead and nothing has come back since

Now, I'm not suggesting micky should dump his old engine oil down the back of there, but if he 'tripped' (over some trailing ivy) whilst carrying the oil catch pan and dropped its content. It would be an understandable 'accident'.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Ali, it's funny you should mention this as we conveniently have some old oil in the shed.

That would make a real mess though.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Pics in the front. Like I say, it doesn't look too bad right now, but it takes no time to get out of control. The first two pictures are our garden, the last is the offending area it's growing from, next door.

Richy P1984

A good herbicide may do the trick - apply it where you can.

Salt the earth surrounding it, that usually kills things pretty quickly. Don't apply acids, that could lead to the mobilsation of metals within the soil.

David Lock

I wouldn't dare.......

d

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Errrrrrrrrr.. that's not Ivy,

Something completely different but for the life of me the name escapes..

It's late and it's bedtime but we had this in Manchester and what we had to do in the end is train it up some canes and then trash it with glyphospate.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...e.aspx?pid=241

Sounds like this

Shaun

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to...indweed-field/

Shaun

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Looks like you're right. I told you guys I'm no gardener. I think I just assumed it was ivy as it grows so quickly.

Looks like I'll just have to keep attacking it with the suitable weedkiller. Or get onto the council and see if they can do anything to help as well.