Hi,
First post and am as green as ....
Renovating very neglected garden. Basically digging practically everything
up and starting again. Lots of ivy with vicious roots. Do ivy roots work
like weeds? i.e. if I leave a bit will the ivy grow again? If, as I suspect,
they will how do I kill the stumps that are left under the soil and which I
can't pull up? Same question applies to various shrubs whose roots seem to
go to Australia, can I just leave them a foot or so below the surface?
Husband is warbling on about copper nails????
Thanks
Chris

On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 20:19:51 GMT, Chris Meech wrote:

Hi,
First post and am as green as ....
Renovating very neglected garden. Basically digging practically everything
up and starting again. Lots of ivy with vicious roots. Do ivy roots work
like weeds? i.e. if I leave a bit will the ivy grow again? If, as I suspect,
they will how do I kill the stumps that are left under the soil and which I
can't pull up? Same question applies to various shrubs whose roots seem to
go to Australia, can I just leave them a foot or so below the surface?
Husband is warbling on about copper nails????
Thanks
Chris

Yes Ivy roots will grow again.
Sorry.
--
Jim
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscot.plus.com

Not your fault Jim - unless you were the previous owner of my garden and
planted the damn things!!
"Jim Scott" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 20:19:51 GMT, Chris Meech wrote:

Hi,
First post and am as green as ....
Renovating very neglected garden. Basically digging practically
everything
up and starting again. Lots of ivy with vicious roots. Do ivy roots work
like weeds? i.e. if I leave a bit will the ivy grow again? If, as I
suspect,
they will how do I kill the stumps that are left under the soil and which
I
can't pull up? Same question applies to various shrubs whose roots seem
to
go to Australia, can I just leave them a foot or so below the surface?
Husband is warbling on about copper nails????
Thanks
Chris

Yes Ivy roots will grow again.
Sorry.
--
Jim
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscot.plus.com

Chris Meech wrote:
Hi,
First post and am as green as ....
Renovating very neglected garden. Basically digging practically
everything up and starting again. Lots of ivy with vicious roots. Do
ivy roots work like weeds? i.e. if I leave a bit will the ivy grow
again? If, as I suspect, they will how do I kill the stumps that are
left under the soil and which I can't pull up? Same question applies
to various shrubs whose roots seem to go to Australia, can I just
leave them a foot or so below the surface? Husband is warbling on
about copper nails????
Thanks
Chris

Ivy's usually easy enough to dig out with a fork, as it doesn't root
deeply. But, yes, there is a danger of leaving viable bits behind; but,
again, these will be easy enough to pull out when they shoot.

Forget about copper nails: they're quite expensive, and won't kill
anything you can actually hammer a nail into. If you really don't like
the shrubs you've got, you should be safe to leave a bit of root behind
with most species: the ones to watch are the ones which reproduce by
suckers, which you can recognise by their habit of, er...reproducing by
suckers!

--
Mike.

In article ,
"Chris Meech" writes:
| Hi,
| First post and am as green as ....
| Renovating very neglected garden. Basically digging practically everything
| up and starting again. Lots of ivy with vicious roots. Do ivy roots work
| like weeds? i.e. if I leave a bit will the ivy grow again? If, as I suspect,
| they will how do I kill the stumps that are left under the soil and which I
| can't pull up? Same question applies to various shrubs whose roots seem to
| go to Australia, can I just leave them a foot or so below the surface?

Only a few plants will regrow from deep roots - in general, digging up the
rootstock (the lump on or just below the surface) is enough. I am pretty
sure that it is for ivy. For ones that will regrow, don't try to dig all
the roots out - you may need to dig 3' down or more. Dig out the rootstock
and then attack the weakened shoots as they reappear.

| Husband is warbling on about copper nails????

Divert him in the direction of philosopher's stones.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.