I just ripped mine out, and made sure I got all the deep roots too. Which took a while and I did not have anything of the magnitude which you have. Just keep at it. I had to dig the roots out with one of those dandelion digger things...
Two years later I am still finding shoots and rip them out when I find them.
I have heard that boiling water kills poison ivy, you could try it on regular ivy.

I agree with klimkm about pulling the stuff. I have tried Roundup and Week-B-Gon and had very little success. I put black plastic over a patch for 6 weeks this fall and never did much good. Maybe in July or August. So I put it on my schedule. Every day or so spend 15 minutes pulling the stuff where it looks like it will do the most damage.

I had a very similar situation, and it is a daunting task to say the least! Personally, I had some success with Roundup, it seemed to weaken the ivy if nothing else. I used quite a bit of Roundup, spraying repeatedly, then pulled when it had died back a bit. Every year I find a few survivors, but I try to keep on top of them with the Roundup and pulling. Recently my neighbor across the street spent a lot of time and effort planting a big patch of the stuff, and it was all I could do to keep from pulling my hair out. Thank goodness she's across the street and not next door!

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. I spent a few hours the other day starting my work by getting thick ivy off of some of our trees in the back. I have a website I'm building (as part of a class I'm taking at a local college), that I've put some pictures on of part of the yard and some of the trees. I have LOTS of ivy to fight with, but I have at least gotten started. The main trouble that I'm seeing right now is some of the really old growth, I have a picture that shows it, some of the ivy is rooted and starts out from UNDER large trees....I may have to try painting roundup or other such things on the stem cuts....
Thanks everyone for your help so far, and as always, any tips are appreciated! Good luck to all with your projects for this year!

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.csit.parkland.edu/~bkennedy/garden.html

Just moved from Chicago suburb so don't be put off by my zone. I have never dealt with ivy but my yard had several of the worst weeds: quack grass, thistle and bindweed. You could never get all of the roots for these either. Having a bad back, not a lot of time and a low budget, I tried many things over 28 years. The thing that finally worked for me was: many thicknesses of newspaper, covered by landscape fabric, covered by mulch (I used bark). To plant, I would cut a small hole in the fabric. It worked better than anything. Easier on the budget, back, and environment. Good luck.

Glad to hear you're thinking of pulling the ivy. I've been battling it for years in Portland (this morning, even), which is overwhelmed by the stuff. Hand pulling and patience are your best options; the city's restoration group doesn't consider a project clear until five years of maintenance have been done. Five.

The waxiness of the leaves tends to fend off herbicides, while roots of any size (even leaves) can reroot. Focus on cutting the ivy in the trees first. Once ivy gets into consistent sun (even at knee height) it goes to its mature form, and starts to berry. You don't want that. Ivy berries are toxic to many native bird species in Oregon; the invasive bird species (English sparrows/starlings) spread them around. Best if you can put down some untreated burlap to pile your ivy pullings on. That'll keep it from rerooting, while allowing the plants in your seed bank a little wiggle room to sprout and grow. It's a lot of work, but can be really rewarding as you put in new plants. Check out the NoIvyLeague (noivyleague.org) for more ideas on controlling ivy. Don't be put off by the Heart of Darkness quotes. They know their stuff.

Good luck!

Here is how I managed to get rid of my ivy. Roundup will work, you need to spray it on when its good and hot, and actively growing.I get field strength from a farmer friend. Add a spreader sticker to the mix. I think you'll have good results.Happy Gardening!

I've been gardening in Cent IL all of my life...Whatever you do, do NOT rototill this stuff!!! Many weedy vines will prop. from any little piece still touching dirt. You may make your problem worse---exponentially!
Years ago, I had the same situation you find yourself in...taming a property that hadn't been inhabited for years (probably decades). We had honeysuckle, vinca, Virginia creeper, PI and Wisteria all on the same 1-1/2 acres! What couldn't climb, formed a mat that smothered everything else out (including the gravel drive)! It took about 4 seasons of religiously spraying Brush-B-Gone and lots of raking. The only way I could kill the PI was to paint it with gasoline (in my early 20's and not very "Earth conscious").

Remember also when you do till, that many years of dormant weed seeds will just be waiting for the chance to germinate. Some can wait just that long, too!

Good luck with your new adventure!

I took a look at your pictures, and boy, do they bring back memories. My side yard looked a lot like yours. Are you really thinking of leaving some of the ivy? Be prepared for tons of vigilance if so. It gets out of control so quickly! As you know, if it gets on the house, it pulls quite a bit of stucco, paint, or whatever off with it when you dare to remove it! Again, RoundUp in multiple doses, when the stuff is actively growing in the spring yields results. Good luck.

Hi there,

One way that you can kill English Ivy is cut through the stem as close to the soil as possible and then taking a childs paint brush paint the tip thats showing with diesel or motor oil. As long as you are careful NOT to spill it anywhere as you are painting it shouldnt affect the soil.

So I was told, I could be wrong.

Steve the UKtransplant

Hit it with a weed whip, then wait a few days, week, until you see *new* growth on the ends. Spray the new growth with double strong Roundup. It takes awhile, and you will still get a few next year, but with persistence, it'll work.