Round-up? ;-) hee-hee!

Seriously, I don't know what you could do except for what you're doing. Maybe talk to your neighbor about the problem to get help from that side too? At least they are growing something on their side to keep their yard looking nice. It can't help wanting to grow on your side since I'm sure you have your soil amended nicely and finds it nice to grow over there. It is kind of like saying, "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence."

I feel for ya. I mistakenly planted EI a couple years ago to fill a large empty space in my yard and have been regretting it ever since. It is classified as a non-native invasive species in Texas and is a pest plant. I think that means that it falls into the noxious weed category as well.

I would probably first offer to help the neighbor find a ground cover that's not quite so aggressive (while pointing out to her how detrimental it is to my plantings) and also offer to help her eradicate the EI. If she was mean or rude about it, I might then be inclined to squirt a little RU on it where it crosses the property line. The RU might kill it back a little bit, and won't eradicate it completely, but it might give you a little relief from the constant cutting you're doing now. Cheryl

Cynthia, I have some coming from a neighbors bed too. It's not too bad but very annoying. I have been pulling it up too.

Cynthia, Is there some kind of barrier that you could sink about a foot into the ground, and leave about three feet of a barrier up your cyclone fence? I have seen plastic strips woven into cyclone fencing, and if they were green they wouldn't be very obtrusive, especially with azaleas in front of it. I think the English Ivy roots wouldn't go under a 12" barrier, and that the upper barrier would deter the "climb and invade" action.
I'd like to get my hands on two people--the guy who invented the accordion and the guy who brought English Ivy to Texas!

The previous owners of our home planted two of these evil plants. Man oh man, do they go deep! I was never able to dig far enough to get it out and am constantly pulling it out. I don't think that stuff dies AND it has a will. I swear it taunts me from spots in my yard that are almost impossible to get to. Sorry, don't have any advice, just commiseration.

thanks all, commiseration is good too! There's a hedge so can't really put up a barrier. I keep thinking that if I keep sending it back through the section of cyclone fence that eventually her garden crew will get rid of it. Oh well, I do know that's fool hardy.

I like the notion of not being alone...grins. Yes, the grass is greener here...
smiles
c

We are moving into my in-law's former home. Dad thought English Ivy and Asian Jasmine were lovely under the oak trees ⺠I sure hope I can smother it out with cardboard under the soil/mulch. Anyone tried this approach?

Pam

Cynthia, I feel for you, nothing too much worse than having to fight a plant that you didn't even plant
I say vinegar it

Pam,years ago we moved into a house with a lot of EI and Imowed as much as I could and baked the rest with plastic and leaves
Good luck
jolana

"I sure hope I can smother it out with cardboard under the soil/mulch. Anyone tried this approach?"

Yup. Didn't work.

BTW, neighbor had them plant Asian Jasmine for her last year. It's strting to mingle with the EI. We'll se who wins. I know it won't be me....errgh!

Sounds like my neighbor's twin, that you have as a neighbor. My neighbor insists on growing Japanese Honeysuckle on my chain link fence. She has English Ivy growing up her trees and she just informed me she is thinking of growing Asian Jasmine on her side of my fence, instead of grass. I've repeatedly tried to get through to her regarding the Japanese Honeysuckle being invasive, but she doesn't absorb what I'm telling her. She told me the bark on my trees is peeling because they're not watered enough. I informed her they are River Birch trees and the bark is supposed to peel! Now I cut the Japanese Honeysuckle and put a tiny bit of Roundup on the cut. I've been pulling up Japanese Honeysuckle for over 6 years now. She "comes unglued" if she sees me cutting it at all.

No EI here, but I have a neighbor who planted wisteria up & down the chain link fence. It's her fence, but I have trees and shrubs not far from it and the runners are on my side. I haven't tried the vinegar yet, but it's a good idea. So far I just cut all the time.

Guerilla gardening. Camoflauge, round-up, machetes, dark moonless night. Over the hedge we go. I'll chop and you spray. If that doesn't work we'll go back with the flame thrower. Middle of the day when noone is there. We'll blame the yard crew.

I know it's killed by salt water. Pour some salt on it. A thick layer around the base should do it. It grows here but not all that well. I think it's the salt air and humidity.

Tally HO!

Roselee uses a weed killer that is a growth hormone. What it does is make the plant grow so fast it kills it's self.
Wouldn't that be a delight to watch, while looking innocent.

""Q&A: Selective Broadleaf Weed Killer

Q: I've Just Sprayed With Selective Broadleaf Weed Killer And Now The Dandelions Are Bigger Than Ever! What's Up With That?

The principal active ingredient in many broadleaf weed killers is 2,4-D, an artificial form of a natural plant growth hormone. When 2,4-D first goes to work, it often stimulates vigorous leaf growth and causes the plant to bloom lavishly, making it look healthier than ever. But internally, the treated dandelion is growing itself to death. The weed will soon begin to wilt and be dead from top to bottom in a few weeks. """""

Kathy

Cynthia,
I moved into a house last year that had 1/2 acre of english ivy covering the ground. I tried torching it, digging it, etc...
I came across a study that showed English Ivy cannot survive if:
1-under a thick layer of cardboard and newspaper (which will biodegrade)
2-then under 8-12" compost/mulch
3-then wait 3-6 months

I mowed mine down first, then added the cardboard,soaked it, then added 6" of mushroom compost followed by 3" of mulch. Whew! It's been 3 months...no ivy so far...

Good luck!

I fight fire with fire. You have to cultivate a love of aggressvie plants along your fence line.

A lovely mixture of side oats grama grass, maypop, obedient plant,bouncing bet,ruellia, and wood ferns will hold back non-native asian invaders that are trimmed back/sprayed/painted with round up. I suggest leaving a good sized mow strip between these aggressive beauties and your "real beds" near the house. You'll never see more birds,butterflies and other neat wildlife than if you plant these too. PJ

Volunteer to edge along the fence on the neighbor's side;
tell her you know she loves her English ivy, but that it's ruining the azaleas, & that you don't want to poison the plants or the soil, so you'd be happy to edge along her side to keep it from getting as far as the fence.

Best luck.

ps: salt will be harder to get rid of than English ivy, & it can poison the soil.

Salt is a problem but if you put it just around the plant on the other side of the fence it will kill it and it won't come back in that spot. We're dealing with a lot of salt here!! You can still see it crusted over much of the island. Can't fertilize yet as it just makes the salt worse. Even organic stuff like I use.

But, I've been over dumping dirt to make raised beds next door(building was empty and I got sick of the weeds) I know the group moving in and they are cool with my gardening, and I've got veggies and flowers planted there. I routinely go to my neighbors yards and cut back things, dig out stickerburrs, spray weed n feed, put out ant killer....I have no fear of my neighbors. And if the one ever takes the locks off the gate I'm planting flowers over there, man that's an ugly yard. They just think I'm crazy. And I'm sorry but I spent toooo long getting rid of stickerburrs in my yard to let them get a foothold by creeping in from the neighbors yards! Her yardman cuts back anything that escapes from my side of the fence, I pull up the grass that tries to sneak from her side...and so it goes.
Tally HO!