(A.Lee) wrote in
:

Tristán White wrote:

Can anyone recommend someone in East London who knows what they're
doing, to remove ivy from the back of our house? It's beginning to
take over, and now that today it's raining for the first time in
months, it's going to grow even more.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25124954@N00/488155387/

It's full of nasty webs and it's beginning to push in through the
windows and under the rooftiles. And I don't know what I'm doing, so
yanking at it would not be a good idea.

I know you said you didnt want to DIY, but it would make it much
easier, and stop the growing, if firstly, you follow it down to where
it is growing from, then just cut through the trunk part, or parts.
What is already on the walls will then die off within 2 weeks.
If I was asked to remove it, that is what I would do first, then I'd
come back 2 weeks later to clear the remains off.

This will make it far easier to remove, as it tends to root into the
tiniest cracks in the wall, and when alive, these roots are quite
strong. When dead, they dry and get brittle, thus making it easier to
remove.
Alan.




Thanks for the tip!!

I'll do just that. Then either pull it off myself, or look for someone to
remove it professionally (I'm mostly worried about the rooftiles and
dislodging them when I pull, and the pointing between the chimney stack).