Things You'll Need:
- Garden fork
- Large plastic tarp
- Garden clippers
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Step 1
Spring or Fall?
The best time to get rid of ground ivy is in early spring, a day or two after a rain shower, while the soil is still moist. During this time of the year, the ivy has not yet begun its spring growth spurt and the roots will release more completely from moist, pliable soil. Removing ivy in the fall also works well, but only after a rain spell. If any roots are left behind, they will ultimately present themselves as new, tender growth the following spring for easy plucking. -
Step 2
Prune and Lift
For easier removal, begin by pruning away the ivy leaves to expose the vines below. Using a large heavy duty garden fork with flat tines, lift and loosen the soil underneath the rooted vines. Often this is a tangled mess so it's more productive to work thoroughly in small sections, taking care to remove any and all pieces of vine or attached roots. The ivy roots must be completely removed otherwise new growth will sprout from any piece of root or vine left behind. Place a large plastic tarp on the ground near the work area on which to collect all the ivy roots and stems. This allows for easy clean up and transportation, plus keeps any roots from contact with bare soil. -
Step 3
Get rid of it!
Proper disposal of the ivy is essential. It is a vigorous and prolific grower that will take up residence wherever given the opportunity. Haul away the ivy debris to your local land fill composting facility or, if your locality permits, burning the ivy once it has completely dried out is another method. -
Step 4
Not nearly as effective or ecologically sound, but certainly an option, ivy can be removed with a chemical weed killer. Check the product instructions for appropriate application rates or ask your local nursery expert for more information on using this method.
Comments
nikileg said
on 10/20/2009 i just bought a house that has ivy as a ground cover. it was overtaking a brick retaining wall and grew along all the west and north side of my house. It is beautiful but is the hardest landscaping project I have ever started! I now HATE ivy and for the person looking for a good ground cover, DON"T DO IT!!! It has nearly ruined my retaining wall and started growing up onto the house. My removal started with just pulling the vines off the house, a week or so later they were growing up the house again. I just spent several hours ouside pulling this God forsaken plant. I am still not done but I got it all pulled away from the house (approximately one foot). My hands are very sore, my back is mildly sore and when I walk my feet hurt from putting all my weight into pulling this stuff out! The roots are very strong and some remain on top of the ground and others I had to dig for. I am almo...
brandy1123 said
on 7/16/2009 ivy is very pretty but when its out of hand its hard to control
slphilbrick said
on 7/8/2009 Not sure if we have the same type of ground cover as this, but they all seem to have the same invasive properties. Spring time or after a wet rain is the easiest time I've found to rid the grounds of it. But you're right, it takes lots of patience and a strong back !
bossypants said
on 7/4/2009 I am actually looking for ground cover options (and read your other article on the topic). It's good to know I need to be careful if I choose an ivy! Thanks!
whoodo said
on 5/22/2009 We have always struggled with ivy on the north side of our house and it has been a losing battle. I will give this a try. I think maybe we never get rid of all the roots. Thanks for the tips.