Hi folks-

Thanks to everyone who responded with helpful comments to my post a
couple weeks ago about removing an ivy infestation in my front yard.

I had originally described it as 150 sq feet, but it was really more
like 300. It's amazing how much space there is in my yard now. I didn't
really "see" the land for the ivy that was there.

Anyway, based on the posts in these two groups, I just went at it the
old fashioned way --by hand-- and rolled it up. There was one post in
particular, from Robert in Raleigh, that really helped. For those
considering the project, cutting the ivy into manageable strips, then
rolling it up, was the way to go. I didn't have quite the right tools to
do that, so I needed to work a bit more, but I improvised and got the
job done. All told, working alone, it took me about 10 hours of labor,
plus another hour in which the wife and I raked and bagged the smaller
debris. The big rolls of ivy are headed to the local dump as soon as I
get around to it.

Hours out there pulling up roots have left my fingers a bit bruised, but
heavy gloves kept me from getting any cuts.

Anyway, part one of the project is done. Presumably part 2 will be
dealing with the return of the growth from the roots that I've missed,
or seeds, or whatever. But I'm ready!

The next phase involves my back yard. I've got ivy spilling in from
neighbors over there. I'm just going to "Hedge Hog" the stuff, then
spray it with Round up and see what that does. Hopefully that will knock
it back a bit. I'm less concerned about it back there, but I would like
to remove the ivy totally from my property.

So thanks to all who contributed to a success story.

Marc

Look for Varapan (I think it's spelled like that), you need it and a sheet of
plastic to cover ground with after spreading the mixture onto the ground. It
KILLS IVY DEAD roots and all over night and within a week you can start planting
other plants and/or grass.


--
In This Universe The Night was Falling,The Shadows were lenghtening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the Stars were still young and the light of morning lingered: and
along the path he once had followed, Man would one day go again.

Arthur C. Clarke "The City & The Stars"

SIAR
www.starlords.org
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Bishop's Car Fund
http://www.bishopcarfund.Netfirms.com/
Starlord's Personal Page
http://starlord-personal.netfirms.com


"MAG" wrote in message
ganews.com...
Hi folks-

Thanks to everyone who responded with helpful comments to my post a
couple weeks ago about removing an ivy infestation in my front yard.

I had originally described it as 150 sq feet, but it was really more
like 300. It's amazing how much space there is in my yard now. I didn't
really "see" the land for the ivy that was there.

Anyway, based on the posts in these two groups, I just went at it the
old fashioned way --by hand-- and rolled it up. There was one post in
particular, from Robert in Raleigh, that really helped. For those
considering the project, cutting the ivy into manageable strips, then
rolling it up, was the way to go. I didn't have quite the right tools to
do that, so I needed to work a bit more, but I improvised and got the
job done. All told, working alone, it took me about 10 hours of labor,
plus another hour in which the wife and I raked and bagged the smaller
debris. The big rolls of ivy are headed to the local dump as soon as I
get around to it.

Hours out there pulling up roots have left my fingers a bit bruised, but
heavy gloves kept me from getting any cuts.

Anyway, part one of the project is done. Presumably part 2 will be
dealing with the return of the growth from the roots that I've missed,
or seeds, or whatever. But I'm ready!

The next phase involves my back yard. I've got ivy spilling in from
neighbors over there. I'm just going to "Hedge Hog" the stuff, then
spray it with Round up and see what that does. Hopefully that will knock
it back a bit. I'm less concerned about it back there, but I would like
to remove the ivy totally from my property.

So thanks to all who contributed to a success story.

Marc


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On Sun, 13 Apr 2003 18:13:07 -0400, MAG
wrote:


The next phase involves my back yard. I've got ivy spilling in from
neighbors over there. I'm just going to "Hedge Hog" the stuff, then
spray it with Round up and see what that does. Hopefully that will knock
it back a bit.

FYI: Round up is systemic killer. If you treat a plant that has the
same root system as your neighbors plants, you may kill those too.
That might or might not be what you want to do.

BOb

MAG wrote:

Hi folks-

Thanks to everyone who responded with helpful comments to my post a
couple weeks ago about removing an ivy infestation in my front yard.

I had originally described it as 150 sq feet, but it was really more
like 300. It's amazing how much space there is in my yard now. I didn't
really "see" the land for the ivy that was there.

Anyway, based on the posts in these two groups, I just went at it the
old fashioned way --by hand-- and rolled it up. There was one post in
particular, from Robert in Raleigh, that really helped. For those
considering the project, cutting the ivy into manageable strips, then
rolling it up, was the way to go. I didn't have quite the right tools to
do that, so I needed to work a bit more, but I improvised and got the
job done. All told, working alone, it took me about 10 hours of labor,
plus another hour in which the wife and I raked and bagged the smaller
debris. The big rolls of ivy are headed to the local dump as soon as I
get around to it.

Hours out there pulling up roots have left my fingers a bit bruised, but
heavy gloves kept me from getting any cuts.

My reason for suggesting cutting it down and then spraying when new
growth has two or three leaves. We have some bloody awful weeds/grass,
which I think is Bermuda "grass" - pale grayish green with runners like
heavy guage wire. I've drawn blood several times trying to pull it out.
Since it is only a couple of weeks into your project, I'd be willing to
bet there are plenty of roots remaining that will sprout again. Could
be wrong ) Ivy is persistent, and I would attack it at least three
times to be sure it won't come back. Water well to make it sprout if it
is going to. I had to do the same with asparagus fern, a houseplant
(one of many that turn to weeds when planted in Florida as landscape
plants); as. fern has loads of tubers and tough, tough roots. Much
easier to hit the new growth than to dig/pull it out, not to mention it
meanders all over the root zone of neighboring plants. Good luck!


Anyway, part one of the project is done. Presumably part 2 will be
dealing with the return of the growth from the roots that I've missed,
or seeds, or whatever. But I'm ready!

The next phase involves my back yard. I've got ivy spilling in from
neighbors over there. I'm just going to "Hedge Hog" the stuff, then
spray it with Round up and see what that does. Hopefully that will knock
it back a bit. I'm less concerned about it back there, but I would like
to remove the ivy totally from my property.

So thanks to all who contributed to a success story.

Marc

In article ,
says...
On Sun, 13 Apr 2003 18:13:07 -0400, MAG
wrote:


The next phase involves my back yard. I've got ivy spilling in from
neighbors over there. I'm just going to "Hedge Hog" the stuff, then
spray it with Round up and see what that does. Hopefully that will knock
it back a bit.

FYI: Round up is systemic killer. If you treat a plant that has the
same root system as your neighbors plants, you may kill those too.
That might or might not be what you want to do.

BOb


Bob-
Thanks.
Actually, this is EXACTLY what I'd like to do. The neighbors back there
are townhome renters, and the owners have allowed the vicious ivy to
just about kill some trees, which I worry will topple one day onto my
house. I'm taking measures through my town to deal with them, hopefully
forcing the owners to remove those dying trees or rescue them if
feasible.

In the meantime, killing off some ivy is fine by me. Nobody will care...

:-)

Marc

On Mon, 14 Apr 2003 12:37:37 -0400, MAG
wrote:



In the meantime, killing off some ivy is fine by me. Nobody will care...


If that's your goal then don't cut it back. Wait until it leafs up
heavily, them spray with a pump or backpack sprayer. Soak all the
foliage. In a couple of weeks it will die off. If not, spray a
second time. In a couple of more, you'll be able to pull it out
easily.

Bob

Hi folks-

Thanks to everyone who responded with helpful comments to my post a
couple weeks ago about removing an ivy infestation in my front yard.

Marc,

You have my empathy and my congratulations!! I know exactly what you have gone
through.

My home's previous owner brought some ivy back from Princeton University
(perhaps 50 years ago). It is ivy she was very proud of and she loved it. It
has taken over the back yard and part of the front yard. The ivy has been left
unchecked for at least 5 years.

I've pulled up several large sections of ivy but still have a HUGE section to
do.

I'm going to go into the archives and read your previous post and the replies
to see what the suggestions were. My hands hurt so bad after pulling this stuff
out. Luckily, I have found the "motherload" of ivy. The roots were as big as
my wrist. I'm sure I'll be struggling with that patch for a while.
I"m just happy to see it leaving!

Susan