Killing Ivy

Manchester, England

I have a Poplar tree at the bottom of the garden that has 40ft (roughly) Ivy vines growing up it. We decided to kill it as it's blocking out a lot of light and is obviously too big to trim.

I took an axe to it last summer and severed as many trunks I could see at the bottom, but it's still as green and lush as ever and growing berries.

How long will it take to give up roughly? Is there anything else I can do?

On plant Hedera helix

31 Jan, 2009

Featured on:
ivies

Answers

Spritzhenry

Sorry to tell you that we had an ivy (H.'Paddy's Pride') growing right up the side of our previous house.

To cut a long story short (haha) my husband cut through the trunk at the base - I didn't know until a YEAR later, when it started to drop leaves and died.

SO - it could be a long wait for you still. I'm afraid I don't know what, if anything, you could do to hurry it along.

31 Jan, 2009

Doctorbob1

Have another go round the base of the tree, as low as you can to the ground, take off 1ft. of all the trunks of Ivy right round the tree.
With the thickest trunks drill a hole 4inches deep with a half inch bit. Put in Rid a root, plug the top of the holes with putty. The leaves will fall off all summer.

31 Jan, 2009

Rydeboyz

Cheers guys, I will give that a try.

31 Jan, 2009

Volunteer

You could try putting a ladder up and taking off as much as you can reach. I suspect the ivy is getting nourishment from the little roots that it puts out.

31 Jan, 2009

Rydeboyz

Yeah I assume that's all it could be as it's not getting water from it's main roots that's for sure!

I think I'll try killing off the main roots which I should have done anyway, and just hope we have a dry summer for a change!

31 Jan, 2009

Spritzhenry

You and me and all the UK members too!

31 Jan, 2009

How do I say thanks?

Answer question