skip to main content

Texas Gardening

how to get rid of ivy groundcover

15 years ago

the previous owner planted ivy in the front yard and i want to get rid of it and have only grass. I am sick of the weeds popping up in the ivy, it looks bad and I don't have time to weed the darn thing. What is the best way to kill this ivy? I believe its asian ivy. I don't want to put round up or anything like that on it because I want to put saint augistine(sp)down. Thanks so much for your help.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

sylviatexas1
15 years ago
Put an ad on your local freecycle "free groundcover ivy".

(& some newspapers don't charge for classified ads giving stuff away.)

Either dig it & put it in boxes, or, if you want people to dig their own, be sure to be there when they come over to be sure they don't trample other stuff.
mommyfox
15 years ago
Craigslist.com is a great way to get rid of plants. Just put an ad under "free stuff" - "Free ivy groundcover, you dig!"
Related Discussions
How to get rid of ivy in my lawn.
Q
Comments (7)
Round Up is glyphosate. Their patent on glyphosate expired some years ago so now there are quite a few other brands that are much cheaper. What you're looking for is 41% glyphosate. Tractor Supply and Walmart both carry house brands that are at least half the price of Round Up. The way it works is the glyphosate is absorbed by the leaves and from there is pulled into the roots where it kills the entire plant. If your orginal application beaded up and rolled off then that explains why it didn't work. The soap combined with a fine mist should fix that problem. As far as the bees go, I don't think it will bother them as they most likely won't get in it anyway but I'm not a bee expert. You might spray late in the evening while the bees aren't active so the herbicide will be dry by morning. I would consult with a bee expert just to make sure.
...See More
How to get rid of English Ivy without chemicals?
Q
Comments (13)
After cardboard is laid, much of the roots will die. When one of the roots does not die and manages to punch through, your choices are restricted. You can not dig it up without ruining the seal, and if you pull it, there will be more coming from that spot. It is the downside of the very organic method of cardboard+mulch. Yes, touching up with a paint brush is not organic. I also still have more than half of the smallest bottle of Round up you can buy. I bought it in 1998, and I never sprayed it, only applied with a paint brush. With ivy and poison ivy it is a must-have backup. In the case of poison ivy (my #1 enemy) you can not even dig the thing out without risking an ER visit, and the local largest PI vines are (or rather, were) thicker than my forearm and 100 ft long, and a root system to match. After you cut one such thing, no matter how much cardboard and mulch you put down, there will be dozens of shoots punching through within a 20 ft radius for a couple of years.
...See More
How to Get Rid of Thick Ivy Groundcover?
Q
Comments (7)
Pull up all you can, mow or weed whack the rest and Round-up any new growth. Ivy has thick coated leaves, and Round-up works best on the tender new growth. There are ivy killers out there also, I haven't tried them. Water the area before you use the herbicide, allow the leaves to dry. This will get it growing, and it will absorb the herbicide better. Also, most herbicids don't work in temps over 85 or so, or they take longer to work. Plants don't metabolize much at higher temps. I'm sure you know to apply any herbicide on a calm day to avoid it drifting onto plants that you want to keep.
...See More
Getting rid of Poison Ivy without killing trees/plants???
Q
Comments (51)
nywoodsman's worldview is such because he has never experienced poison ivy like the rest of us! My wife and I are very allergic to p.I. But she is more allergic than I. We went to Disney World one year and they wouldn't let us in to a tour group because they thought she had a highly contagious skin disease (like eczema) on her face!! We had an abundance of it growing in a shrub we wanted to keep. I trimmed the shrub but avoided p.I. like the plague!! But it got so bad growing out of control each year that this year I had to do something. I obtained SYRVET's OB Veterinary Gloves which go all the way up to the shoulders (you can get them on Amazon). I had my wife tape them to my shoulders--however, you have to tape them across the back of the shirt, from top of glove to top of glove because the sweat will cause the tape to come loose and the glove will descend down to near the wrists. Not good!! After I finished working, I had my wife carefully pull the long gloves inside-out and we placed them in a plastic bag for disposal. She had to wash right away but did not get any rash. Once the gloves were off and disposed of, I immediately used Technu on my hands and wrists by rubbing them for several minutes. Then I used a liquid soap on that and washed my hands and wrists off. I followed that with a shower. Don't think that wearing an old pair of pants will protect you completely! Some of the urushiol oil penetrated the cloth and I got a rash on my thigh. I treated it with Technu soap regularly for several days. That did not get rid of the rash but it did lessen the severity of the itch. Some may be interested In knowing that Technu also makes something called "Tecnu Corticool" which is a hydrocortisone that gives you relief from the itch. But you will have to apply it again after awhile. This cream comes in a 1.5 oz tube and can also be gotten on Amazon. Hope this helps
...See More
dahlia_newbie
15 years ago
My husband is threatening to use diesel on ours (jokingly, of course). It has taken over a fence and a utility pole in the corner of our yard. He actually took the chainsaw to it yesterday where it was attached to the fence posts and the pole to kill off the stuff high up, and he put weed killer on the stuff still attached to the ground. It's the type of ivy that seems to be native here, and it's SOOOO agressive. We've tried cutting it back, digging it out, pulling it away from the fence, and can't seem to clear it all out, so we're taking it on this summer so the corner will be ready for a bunch of new bulbs this fall.

Hopefully you can give some away, I hate to kill a plant of any kind and like Sylvia said, make sure you're there to watch the removal process and protect your other plants.
denisew
15 years ago
A mattock will make short work of that ivy. Of course, it means using your muscle to get it out, but it has become my newest favorite garden tool, especially for jobs where I need to remove plants quickly. It worked great for me when I dug up part of my lawn in the front and also was digging roots from a tree we cut down.
textucker
Original Author
15 years ago
I will see if I can give the stuff away. They charge for any add in our little paper. I will try that web site, thanks.
cynthianovak
15 years ago
Ivy is my nemisis! My neighbor has it and it comes through the cyclone fence and the hedge into my azaleas and into everything else.

I've tried to put branches from my Christmas tree down around the azaleas for pine food and hopefully to stop the ivy, but it grows over and under.

A clerk at Redentas suggested 20& vinegar one year. Said it would burn the leaves it touched, but not kill the plant my neighbor really likes. I didn't quite believe it, but it might be something to look into to get rid of yours. I do use it on the St. Augustine that grows up through my flagstone and it makes short order of it. I don't know how long it lasts.

I have a mattock, and don't mind using it. But I've pulled and dug it up in my yard, it just comes back every year. I think it's the only plant I can toss with no regrets.
BTW, It's winning this year....

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Natural Ways to Get Rid of Weeds in Your Garden

By Abundant City

Use these techniques to help prevent the spread of weeds and to learn about your soil

GROUND COVERS Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle

By Curtis Adams

These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Get Along With Less Lawn — Ideas to Save Water and Effort

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Ditch the mower and lower your water bill while creating a feast for the eyes with diverse plantings and gathering places

GARDENING GUIDES How to Get Your Prairie On

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Have a field day with your landscape, even if you've got just a few modern containers on a paved path

MOST POPULAR 16 Ways to Get More From Your Small Backyard

By Mitchell Parker

Make a tight or awkward yard a real destination with these design tricks from the pros

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 7 Low-Maintenance Lawn Alternatives

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Turf isn't the only ground cover in town. Get a lush no-grass lawn with clover, moss and other easy-care plants

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Design a Great Garden on a Sloped Lot

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Get a designer's tips for turning a hillside yard into the beautiful garden you’ve been dreaming of

FENCES AND GATES How to Choose the Right Fence

By Laura Gaskill

Get the privacy, security and animal safeguards you need with this guide to fencing options

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Grow a Lush Privacy Screen

By Christine Tusher

No need to wait forever for patio privacy the green way. These 10 ideas will get your screening up and running in no time

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 5 Savvy Fixes to Help Your Home Sell

By Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist

Get the maximum return on your spruce-up dollars by putting your money in the areas buyers care most about

Sponsored

T. Walton Carr, Architects

Franklin County's Preferred Architectural Firm | Best of Houzz Winner

More Discussions

Placing the TV on the wall and designing the artificial stone behind t

1

How cold is too cold for bare root bagged roses?...

12

Weed Treatment For Bermuda Grass

6

Crossvine oddness

4

iris not blooming well

8