How to Control Ivy Growth

As lovely as fast-growing ivy vines can be in containers and trained into topiaries, when grown as ground covers they can soon become quite invasive -- overrunning shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. Proliferating ivy quickly covers the leaves and stems of other plants, cutting down on photosynthesis and their ability to produce food energy. Ivy sometimes escapes cultivation altogether, especially when it produces seeds, which birds transport and quickly threatens native plants and the ecological balance of natural ecosystems. Even aggressively growing ivy can be controlled physically and completely eliminated with focused effort.

Red tape (optional)
Pruning Saw
Loppers
Hand-held pruners
Heavy work gloves
Pry bar
Shovel
Wood chips or other coarse mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Remove ivy first from trees or shrubs to create a 3- to 6-foot ring or "lifesaver" around each major plant's base and from fences where it is unwanted. Then remove ivy from the ground, pulling and digging up as much root as possible to prevent re-climbing.
- 2
  Cut thick ivy "trunks" first, making cuts at ground level and as high as you can reach. Use hand pruners, loppers and a pruning saw, as needed. Starting at the top, peel back each ivy trunk or stem. Use a pry bar, gently, if necessary.
- 3
  Pull ivy vines and roots back to a distance of at least 3 to 6 feet. Keep going after the roots, using the shovel as needed to help remove major root sections.
- 4
  Mulch the bare soil with 5 or 6 inches of wood chips or similar mulch to conserve soil moisture and protect the soil, keeping the mulch at least 3 inches from tree or shrub trunks to prevent disease or pest transmission.
- 5
  Pile up ivy roots and vines in a hot, sunny spot and let them sit, dry out and die, and start to decompose. Dispose of dried ivy as yard waste.
- 6
  Pull up any "missed ivy" the next year; this will take relatively little time and effort. Repeat the process again the next year to get the last of it.
- 7
  Apply glyphosate to eradicate remaining ivy, if desired, only in the second and third year of ivy control. Apply glyphosate to ivy in very early spring when plants have two to four just-expanded leaves; delaying even a few weeks limits its effectiveness. Follow the label instructions for application frequency and dosage.

Low-Growing Purple Flowers With Gray-Green Variegated Leaves

Grasses That Look Like Bamboo

Groundcovers & Vines