Out of control Ivy!

Merlin5

Merlin5

Merlin5

Soldato
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Posts
18,391
Location
Finchley, London
Haven't been out in my garden for a year, about to begin some hard work of deweeding and grass cutting, jetwashing the patio and some painting. But I noticed how the Ivy has taken over and gotten up to the roof! Clearly worrying as it can compromise the integrity of the brickwork. I've just pulled away what I can on my bricks up to the flat above.

https://s18.postimg.cc/o45il12mx/20180417_182406.jpg
https://s18.postimg.cc/xbxr1rca1/20180417_182500.jpg

I'm wondering how to go about getting it sorted. I own my ground floor flat and the rear garden of a terraced house. The Ivy is coming from the fence. That fence as far as I'm aware is technically owned by my neighbour as the right side fence is the one I replaced a year or two ago.

https://s18.postimg.cc/bcrcezazt/20180417_183406.jpg

Firstly, it's hard to say which side of the fence the Ivy originated. So I'm guessing it's part my responsibility in terms of any expense.

Secondly, the ground floor flat next door is rented out and I've tried to call the owner to discuss it but the mobile is just ringing.

Thirdly, the flat above me is rented out and I'm wondering, since the Ivy originates from the fence, if the owner will accept or deny some responsibility for sharing the work to get it removed. Or maybe he'll say its all my responsibility as nothing in the garden is his.

Likewise, I don't know if the owner of the ground floor flat next door would expect the owner of the flat above his (also rented out, I'm the only owner occupier of all 4 flats) to accept some responsibility. At the end of the day, it's in all our interests to protect our investments.

Where do I stand?
 
Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Kill it with glycol, you can get this in Tesco this time of year, about £6-8 for a decent bottle

Its nasty stuff but it will do the trick, it goes down into the plant and kills it.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/glyphosate-kill-ivy-68524.html

If its really out of control you may need to treat it a few times over the summer.
Click to expand...
Do I need to spray it all over, even climbing onto the roof or just spray some of the Ivy and it'll find it's way up the wall and roof?
 
Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Opposite you want it to go down and kill the roots. Once its dead, it goes very dry you can remove it.
Its best to treat plants when they are growing, they are more active, rather than cutting them back then treating.
Click to expand...
You know what, I've just been out to take a look and friom what I can see, none of the roots are on my side. There's loads of thick Ivy branches that have made their way over and through the fence. So this is really looking like it's all the neighbours responsibility. And I can't even get in touch with him. To be honest, I wouldn't quibble with sharing the expense of a few bottles of Glycol. If I can't get in touch with him though I might have to jump over the fence and do it myself.
 
You wont need a few bottles mate!

One (I think they are a litre in Tesco) will last you all summer.

I would get a £1 poundland spray bottle, or salvage one from some spray cleaner or something. Mix up a batch and go spray a load of leaves, it will kill practically anything organic though so focus where you cannot spray anything else.
Don't worry too much about covering it, just getas much as poss onto leaves as close to the bottom as possible and work up. All you need to do is kill the roots which it will do over time.

It may take a few treatments as I said, it is a tough plant and can stand up to some punishment.
You may not want to make it too obvious you are killing the neightbours plants ;)
 
Thanks MKW, sounds good. And I've spoken to the owner next door now. Friendly chat and he said he'll take care of it. I offered to contribute towards costs but he said don't worry. So hopefully he'll get it done soon. He reckons once it's been treated and starts to work it'll fall away. Do you think that'll happen, it'll fall away from where it's started to meet the roof and all up the walls without us needing to go up and remove it?

Here's that epic Ivy picture again.
https://s18.postimg.cc/o45il12mx/20180417_182406.jpg
 
Merlin5 said:
He reckons once it's been treated and starts to work it'll fall away.
Click to expand...
that lot must be doing a lot of damage to the bricks and pointing, not even mentioning damp potential ? what are people thinking.
just cutting it off at ground level will stop the nutriant supply to everything above, but you must wait for it to fall away (several months) rather than pulling it.
 
we have the same problem with out next door neighbour. she doesn't care about her garden but there is loads coming over the front and back wall and like the first pic up to the guttering / roof line. I cut it low down last year and eventually it did die back so i could pull most of it down but she didn't do anything thing with the rest at ground level, now its back again. So will have to try some of this stuff and see what happens.
 
I had a lot of ivy growing up one wall and got some farmer's strength concentrate of glyphosate off eBay, diluted it down to the right level and sprayed the ivy leaves. It worked its way back down to the roots, all went brown and was easily pulled off when dead 10 days later. Two years since and it's been fine. If you don't have objections to using chemicals the right ones will do the trick. Just be careful not to spray it onto the leaves of anything you want to live. A going over every six months on my drive keeps the weeds away too. I think a 5 litre bottle of concentrate has lasted me for three years for various weed killing duties around my half acre plot.
 
I hate ivy. Used to have a huge one growing right up side of house to the roof like the OP, had a gardener in who pulled it all down and put some chemicals on the roots. Couple of years later the roots got dug up when I had a gas pipe laid yet the ivy still tries to grow again. Horrible stuff.
 
I've delt with more ivy over the past few years than I want to remember.

Cut the stems at the ground level, cut out about a foot of them, right across. Leave the Ivy on the house until the end of summer. It will look terrible, but once dried out the little tenticles will dry up, and it can be removed safely from the brickwork. You risk causing damage to the masonry if you pull it down in its current form.
 
Skiddley said:
I've delt with more ivy over the past few years than I want to remember.

Cut the stems at the ground level, cut out about a foot of them, right across. Leave the Ivy on the house until the end of summer. It will look terrible, but once dried out the little tenticles will dry up, and it can be removed safely from the brickwork. You risk causing damage to the masonry if you pull it down in its current form.
Click to expand...

This is what I did before I had mine taken down, forgot to add that.
 
As above just cut the roots off and let it all die, i have dealt with very similar out of control ivy on my garages. Find all of the roots, cut them, they'll be thick and may require a small saw to cut through. It'll then all gradually go brown and lose all of its strength.
 
I decided to try and tackle the rest of mine this morning.

This one had a roughly inch thick stem which I cut off near the base about a month ago, no chemicals
bgi4kHkr.jpg

This was after trimming back on the other side so I could actually trace the stems. Its lifting the felt off the roof..
mlgb4DH.jpg
What it looks like inside
GGdJxRC.jpg
And the mother of all stems which is down a gap a foot wide between garage and fence. Easily 2" thick
UR2bGOS.jpg
Was hoping to take the fence panel off to get to it from the other side but there's a hedge in the way.. Luckily I could just reach it with a saw so I've chopped right through it and sprayed the whole thing in glyophosate. Will give it a few weeks and see what it's like
 
Thanks for the replies guys and good job Skillmister on tackling yours!

The next door owner told me he recalls it being two main roots and that he'll get his tenant to deal with it today. I somehow don't think it'll get done today but we'll see. If he can cut those roots then we can wait and see how long it takes before it all wilts and dries up. I mentioned the glycol to him but I doubt he'll spend any money on that.
 
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