just flush them out as much as you can with water to make the poisan less consentrated . maybe some charcoal will soak in the poisons to . they use it in people .also got it in my pond and tank .im know expert on the charcoal part its just a thaught if your losing a plant it mite be worth trying the charcoal part as well as flushing . you have nothing to lose and maybe lots to learn .

In my experience, humates seem to work better than charcoal in binding and detoxing weed killers, and they are soluable, so they get more of the contaminant.

I would think that the antidote has to ba applied very quickly after the plants have been contaminated. Unfortunately it sounds as if Mw's plants have already absorbed the weedkiller and it is too late.
Would you like to explain 'humates' Tugbrethil, this is a new term to me?

yes i definatly think your right bulbaholic .

The person on the allotment next to mine sprayed weedkiller 2 years ago and my blackberry is still all contorted!! Hopefully yours wasn't the the sort that stays in the soil?

i rest my case if you put poison into even a basic living thing like a plant it doesnt ever go away it just moves somewear else .

Muddywellie, I suggest you try to find out exactly what they used on the ivy - unless they saturated the entire area with gallons of glyphosphate, it may well be a rather more rigorous herbicide than that. Depending on what it was, you may well have a claim against whoever applied the substance which is now poisoning your soil.

Too late to edit my previous answer, but glyphosate kills through the leaves, not through the soil, so I'm willing to bet they've used something much more heavy duty, or else the spray has drifted onto your plants.
On a different note, I've been reading tons of stuff on the web about roundup, and though I very rarely use it, it's put me off ever using at all, seems its highly toxic to animals and humans as well as to plants, which is something the makers haven't told us, in fact, they've told us the opposite, that's its "inert" and "benign" in the environment.

Bulbaholic, humates are a group of complex organic molecules left over from bacterial decay. They include humic acid, fulvic acid, and olmic acid. There are two main sources for humates: well decayed organic matter, such as compost tea, manure tea, or earthworm castings tea; and certain mineral deposits, such as leonardite or carbonaceous shale. They easily form weak bonds with other molecules, and make good chelating agents for bound-up nutrients. They also attach themselves to herbicides and other soil toxins, making them more edible to soil bacteria. They can also act as a root stimulator, though that effect isn't very strong. Rich soil has lots of natural humates in it, but a really heavy dose of herbicide, even glyphosphate, can overwhelm them. Here in the desert we use a lot, because our soil is normally pale, poor brick clay or sand, and the worms need all the help they can get!

I've spent most of the afternoon and evening hosing the soil in the hope that it would work, but I think that as I noticed the hardy geraniums turning last week its now too late. Bamboo - you're right - I remembered that glyphosate works via the leaves last night, so it would seem that they have tipped something into the soil as you say. We have asked and they have refused to tell us what it was. You also say I could have a claim, but I think that that is unrealistic, as it would involve a full on neighbour dispute. Thanks for all the answers everyone, but I think I have to accept that the plants are unlikely to survive.

This would be my worst nightmare Muddywellie as I have had a falling out with my next door neighbour I worry all the time about my garden so much so that I put all my plants that I could into contaners down his side of the fence.

its such a pain falling out with neighbers thats why i think you should actualy not get to friendly in the first place .

I'm willing to bet they won't admit what it was because it's something dreadful that they probably know they shouldn't have used, and possibly something that sits in the soil for some months or even a year or two. I think it's outrageous they won't tell you what it was, because that leaves you unable to establish when it might be safe to plant again, which really means you're stuck planting things in pots. Were it me, I'd consider that a very un-neighbourly, confrontational and unfriendly act, and would respond accordingly, but I do understand that you may not want to aggravate the situation.

Yes Bamboo in the case of my neighbours it would probably be something that was banned.Noseypotter I suppose in some cases keeping yourself to yourself is okay but I do have some very nice neighbours although we do not live in each others pockets we are always there when needed.Muddywellie why did your neighbours not give you any warning that they where going to use a weed killer?

you fall out with your next door neighbers esecialy when you became good friends in the first place is about as bad as it gets. you know each other 2 well and pay back is so easy if people are that petty and theres plenty of them.

This lot were unfriendly from the day we moved in - so no falling to do in the first place! I don't know why they did it without warning Mavis, and I think my views of them are probably defamatory so I will keep them to myself. I think thatperhaps we bother them in general - different lifestyles etc - and so perhaps we just get on their nerves! I will keep an eye on the plants and see if any make it, but I think the reality is that I will just keep containers on that side from now on.

Muddywellie..I had been good friends with next door for over twenty years there has been ups and downs before but this problem caused by a new council fence has been the final straw, now I do not trust them as far as I can throw them hence the containers for my plants.As I am not one for confrontation I keep a low profile but dont let them spoil my time in my garden.Have you managed to save any of your plants?

Everything still looks very sad, so I am just keeping an eye on them, and I'll see what survives and then move them into pots. Its just such a shame because there are so many plants which have been affected and I had only just moved them into that bed a few weeks ago...

sorry muddy its a shame people can be such a*&%)es but youve done the right thing everything will be ok in the end . people like that always meet a bigger dog with longer teeth.take care bye for now xx.

Thanks for listening everyone - thank goodness GOYERS are nice people!

yes i love this site people are either nice or polite enough to say nothing generaly .take care bye for now xx.