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#1
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Getting rid of ivy
We have so much of the damn stuff in our garden, we've tried digging it up,
but the roots are so fine they snap off. How can I get rid of it without damaging the other plants in the garden? Thanks |
#2
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"shell" wrote in message ... We have so much of the damn stuff in our garden, we've tried digging it up, but the roots are so fine they snap off. How can I get rid of it without damaging the other plants in the garden? Thanks put glyphosphate on it. Or cut off what you can and then cover it with black plastic or similar for a long time (several months) over the growing season. -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
#3
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"Tumbleweed" wrote in message ... "shell" wrote in message ... We have so much of the damn stuff in our garden, we've tried digging it up, but the roots are so fine they snap off. How can I get rid of it without damaging the other plants in the garden? Thanks put glyphosphate on it. Or cut off what you can and then cover it with black plastic or similar for a long time (several months) over the growing season. -- Tumbleweed Thanks, I'll try that. |
#4
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On Thu, 5 May 2005 07:40:01 +0100, "shell" wrote:
"Tumbleweed" wrote in message ... "shell" wrote in message ... We have so much of the damn stuff in our garden, we've tried digging it up, but the roots are so fine they snap off. How can I get rid of it without damaging the other plants in the garden? Thanks put glyphosphate on it. Or cut off what you can and then cover it with black plastic or similar for a long time (several months) over the growing season. -- Tumbleweed Thanks, I'll try that. I'm none too convinced that black plastic will stop it. One side of my veg patch butts up against a boundary hedge which contains a lot of ivy. I realised from the off that I'd need to prevent the ivy from encroaching on the veg patch so I dug a trench about a foot deep alongside the hedge and place a sheet of thick black plastic in it, leaving the remaining foot or so to extend back towards the hedge. I then refilled the trench and laid flints over the plastic on the surface ( well, I had to do something with all the bloody flint I dug up! ). The ivy that scrambled through the flints was easy enough to deal with - I just pulled it off - but in time I found that it had worked its way through the plastic underground. It will find the slightest hole - and whilst I was sure the plastic was in good order when I laid it I guess some plants ( or perhaps burrowing animals and insects ) can make their way through it. The problem, as I see it, is that the roots can travel a fair distance if the host plant has any access to light - in which case the only real effective means of control is to get rid of it altogether. Given its propensity for climbing it's not always possible to cover every last leaf with plastic. Unfortunately for me I rather like its presence in my hedges ( as long as it's kept under a degree of control ), so I'll either have to live with it or think about some form of "no-man's-land" trench alongside the hedge. Regards, -- Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations www.shwoodwind.co.uk Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk |
#5
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"Stephen Howard" wrote in message ... On Thu, 5 May 2005 07:40:01 +0100, "shell" wrote: "Tumbleweed" wrote in message ... "shell" wrote in message ... We have so much of the damn stuff in our garden, we've tried digging it up, but the roots are so fine they snap off. How can I get rid of it without damaging the other plants in the garden? Thanks put glyphosphate on it. Or cut off what you can and then cover it with black plastic or similar for a long time (several months) over the growing season. -- Tumbleweed Thanks, I'll try that. I'm none too convinced that black plastic will stop it. One side of my veg patch butts up against a boundary hedge which contains a lot of ivy. I realised from the off that I'd need to prevent the ivy from encroaching on the veg patch so I dug a trench about a foot deep alongside the hedge and place a sheet of thick black plastic in it, leaving the remaining foot or so to extend back towards the hedge. I then refilled the trench and laid flints over the plastic on the surface ( well, I had to do something with all the bloody flint I dug up! ). The ivy that scrambled through the flints was easy enough to deal with - I just pulled it off - but in time I found that it had worked its way through the plastic underground. It will find the slightest hole - and whilst I was sure the plastic was in good order when I laid it I guess some plants ( or perhaps burrowing animals and insects ) can make their way through it. The problem, as I see it, is that the roots can travel a fair distance if the host plant has any access to light - in which case the only real effective means of control is to get rid of it altogether. Given its propensity for climbing it's not always possible to cover every last leaf with plastic. Unfortunately for me I rather like its presence in my hedges ( as long as it's kept under a degree of control ), so I'll either have to live with it or think about some form of "no-man's-land" trench alongside the hedge. Regards, It depends, its worked for me on a border which is about 5m x 1m, but there is no ivy on the other side of the fence etc to recolonise that area. The plastic has been on for 3 years now, covered in bark chippings. In this particular site, under trees, next to a fence, nothing else will grow there, as its too dark, & too dry. Unfortunately the ivy was starting was starting to spread into the lawn. FWIW the plastic I used is left over pond liner so its pretty tough. -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
#6
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On Thu, 5 May 2005 11:38:05 +0100, "Tumbleweed"
wrote: snip It depends, its worked for me on a border which is about 5m x 1m, but there is no ivy on the other side of the fence etc to recolonise that area. The plastic has been on for 3 years now, covered in bark chippings. In this particular site, under trees, next to a fence, nothing else will grow there, as its too dark, & too dry. Unfortunately the ivy was starting was starting to spread into the lawn. FWIW the plastic I used is left over pond liner so its pretty tough. I think the combination of not having a source of regrowth and the far superior strength of pond lining material would be the key here. Come to think of it - that's perhaps the way I should go. I bought the toughest plastic I could find, but pond liner would be a better bet I'm sure. I've got to dig a trench anyway - but I can't say I'm looking forward to moving all those flints! Regards, -- Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations www.shwoodwind.co.uk Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk |
#7
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"shell" wrote in message ... "Tumbleweed" wrote in message ... put glyphosphate on it. Thanks, I'll try that. If that fails, and it will because of its waxy leaves, dynamite it. -- Brian "Vote for Number 6" |
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