Would digging a trench and putting in a barrier in the ground work? I'm not sure how far down the ivy roots go, but it may deter it somewhat. And a good set of hedge clippers!!

Possibly - though the ivy goes down a hillside which is where our yard and our neighbors meet (ours is higher than theirs.)

I didn't know if digging down and putting some sort of mesh like thing up would help keep it back at all, and if so, what degree of mesh I would need to use...

mesh won't stop it at all, it will just grow through it. You need a more solid barrier if that is going to work at all. Also, I doubt anything you do in your yard is going to kill the ivy in their yard. Ivy is extremely pernicious and difficult to kill.

Heather

sue your neighbors and make them have it removed. :))

just kidding........I think.

Patrick

All you can do is cut it back, short of getting them to remove all of it so there is no source of reinvasion (save for seeds). It may not have been planted there originally, acres of treed urban land in PNW are coated with Irish ivy (the English ivy of commerce, in part). English ivy is also a naturalized pest species here, as well. So, it's possible that the neighbor would be open to removing it. Perhaps suggest a joint effort.

Talk to the neighbor first. I had a situation where my neighbor really wanted me to remove a bush by his mailbox, and the previous ownder absolutely refused to do so. He finally worked up the courage to ask me and I had it out within the hour.

Unless you are planning to use herbicide on it, talking first is the best approach to avoid bad feelings and possibly create a good relationship. It could be that creating a dead zone between the properties would be acceptable to them. If the neighbor is a snot, then a solid plastic barrier could be planted along your property line. I'm having a bit of difficulty visualizing the situation exactly, but I think that will work.

Ivy is generally not deep-rooted, so a fairly-shallow physical barrier should pretty much impede it's spread underneath. The problem is the Ivy can grow over almost any barrier (and possibly re-root on the other side of any barrier U put up), & I have no answer for this. The key has to be stopping the root spread in U're yard--if U can do that, a simple periodical trim should keep it in check (to the extent that's possible)

I recently learned from a reliable source that english ivy poses ideal Rat habitat.

So, you might just mention that to your neighbor & maybe they'll join you in the joyful task of invasive species removal!

Rats love Ivy, it's true. It's also a drought tolerant ground cover that's useful. You can contain its spread wth a weed wacker. Just trim the edge with your weed wacker every few weeks when you're edging your lawn, and you'll keep it contained. It will also grow a nice edge over time that's not unattractive.

Regards,

FireVicar

I have an old wood fence that the neighbor's ivy grows thru, around, on to, whichever way it can, so barriers will not really work. I am so desperate sometimes I visualize spraying them with Roundup. I am tired of dealing with this pesky plant and it's not even mine, everytime I hack or cut them, a new plant regrows within a day. I looked over my neighbor's yard and it's like an ivy forest in there, I sort of gave up on it now. Maybe I'll move ... good luck to your problem.
yo

My problem is the same as yelloworange ca17. The neighbors sometimes hire young men to pull or whack away stuff climbing the fence. and I saw the husband earlier this year going after I think some blackberry vines. Yeah!!! But the ivy is going crazy now. The stuff growing along the fence is like a forest. Sometimes I pull some ivy and throw it back over the fence into the mess. They've also got some lemon balm. Clearing this stuff away is like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon. Best wishes for whatever you come up with.

Mary

If it were me, I would go and talk to the neighbor. However, before I did so, I would do some reserch into alternatives that would look nice (I suspect they didn't want to have to mow it, but wanted it to look nice) but be containable. I would also offer to help pay for it.

I recently learned that ivy is ok when it is growing along the ground, but as soon as it is allowed to grow upwards it gets flowers and seeds which are spread by birds and it reseeds everywhere. It's awful. Is it a noxious weed in your area so you have a right to insist on its removal? Otherwise, I would use the round up on my side of it -- you certainly won't kill it without the cooperation of your neighbour.

Are you one of my neighbors by chance?

Same problem here, my neighbor has ivy which we are both trying to rid, but...the stuff gets weeddled into the branches of azalias, rhodys and in my honeysuckle and climbing roses; getting to all the roots is a big problem. He left one attractive area of it and is containing it, but it deffinantly gets a grip. The more you cut your side, the more it grows. In my case, I'm on the sunny side, so it wants to l e a n over the fence anyway.
Good luck with yours.
Smiles,
D....

hey talk to them. I welcome anybody to go at the stuff in my yard. I am tired, I lost the war.

What do you do about neighbours who come from reckless, entitled backgrounds and have been conditioned to believe 'they know it all' AND 'can get away with anything'? I've wasted nearly thirty years on a succession of these types (one of whom tried to trespass claim and stole my metered water and hose, I caught him once, Him saying he'd left his at his church: yes, a pastor). I'd sweetly advised such types of what they Should Do to enable civil relations, but they intimidated ME to get ME to move, sometimes by secretly contracting a real estate agent to help me along or by making false claims to the cops. Even their friends and relations defend their ignorant actions and think it's OK to also mow you, your dog and random birds down! U think I kid? So they steal two of my fences and let their ivy eat the third one: pulling it kills my hands and my trees. If trees fall because of their ivy, I hope it's in their direction. So I have to document everything = exhausting! You won't have a chance of success in a BC court against Old Families. Otherwise I'd sue.