Ivy Management & Removal

Ivy can scale heights of more than 30-meters on most structures and left to its own devices – this prolific plant may cause considerable damage to your house, fences and parts of your garden. Ivy is highly invasive and will engulf your home and garden.

Hedera, a species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 s in the family Araliaceae.

Ivy can scale heights of more than 30-meters on most structures and left to its own devices – this prolific plant may cause considerable damage to your house, fences and parts of your garden. Ivy is highly invasive and will engulf your home and garden, so I have produced the following guide on – how to manage ivy – I hope you find it helpful.

The advantages of ivy

During late summer and early autumn – ivy’s pollen and nectar attract a myriad of – insects such as bees, butterflies, wasps, flies. As other resources diminish in early spring, the ripening berries provide – an adequate source of energy for – a variety of birds such as blackbirds, starlings and thrushes, to name but a few.

The disadvantages of ivy

Ivy tends to climb and creep its way throughout your garden, attaching itself to your home, leading to considerable damage if unchecked. 

Its mear nature leads it to engulf plants and trees in your garden, sapping their essential nutrients, blocking light. Its dense foliage can provide a perfect dwelling for – an array of garden pests such as mice, rats etc. 

Many ivy plants, including English ivy and Devils ivy, have moderate toxicity to pets, causing drooling, foaming at the mouth, stomach irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea & swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips. Ivy can also be poisonous to humans, especially children, especially under-fives. 

Ivy removal processes

The process is the same as regular weeding. The following guide outlines 3-workable methods.

Before you start

Before the commencement of the ivy removal, it’s imperative to check there are no birds nesting. It is a criminal offence under the Wildlife & Country Act 1981 to disturb or destroy a nest or a nest in construction. Usually, the nesting season runs from March to August, but it may be longer for certain species, so always make sure before you proceed to work.

Homemade ivy solutions

It is not necessary to resort to using – noxious-chemicals to kill ivy. You can achieve this by dissolving salt (1-cup), white vinegar (1 tablespoon) and washing up liquid (1 tablespoon) to 4.5 l of water.

Add the mixture to a plant sprayer, then soak the ivy liberally.

Good old fashioned weeding

Whilst this requires more elbow grease, we consider this method the most effective. Pull out the bulk of ivy ground cover, then dig deeply around the roots to ensure removal – and all traces of ivy root matter – should be – completely removed from the ground. 

Chemical herbicides

Whilst there is a range of powerful products on the market, we do not recommend their use as they’re not environmentally friendly – they are detrimental to the balance of nature in your garden.

Managing ivy on trees

It’s a misnomer that ivy causes a problem to trees, endangering their health, damage to trees hosting ivy is mealy coincidental – in the majority of cases – it’s due to the tree’s natural decline. Ivy is most at risk of damaging ageing trees – by obscuring and penetrating diseased areas, exacerbating the problem and could affect the -stability of the tree – especially in strong winds, so regular inspections – are advised.  

For some, ivy may also cause a problem when a tree displays decorative bark and would greatly benefit from it being an ornamental feature. 

To remove ivy from trees, I recommend the following steps

• Clear the site to gain access to the ivy stems at the base. 
• Remove the ivy foliage at the tree base.
• Cut the stems at ground level around the trunk.
• Dig out the woody stump at the tree base – the tree root system may prevent removal completely – so regular cutting may weaken the ivy over time, but this is not guaranteed.
• Wait for the ivy to dry out and die on the remainder of the tree – before attempting to remove it.
• Working from the top down, using a Hori Hori – gently prise the ivy away from the tree, taking great care not to damage the bark, then gently pull off in manageable portions. You may need to cut larger stems with a pruning saw. 
• Place removed ivy into green waste bags and dispose of it.

Managing ivy on buildings

Common ivy uses aerial roots to support itself – usually, these roots will penetrate cracks, joints and crevices in the structure, often leading to structural damage – If the masonry is sound, it should be unaffected. In the case of ivy growth on – sound masonry, one should mitigate the ivy growth onto the gutters.

Depending on the aspect ivy – on brickwork could lead to dampness on the structure, requiring longer-drying periods after rain on south-west facing walls. On east-facing walls, ivy may provide insulation – during the winter season and assist the mortar – to dry. 

 To remove ivy from buildings and structures, I recommend the following steps:

• Clear the site to gain access to the ivy stems at the base. 
• Remove the ivy foliage as far up as you can reach.
• Cut the stems at ground level.
• Dig out the woody stump at ground level – it may not be possible to remove all of the roots so, some regular cutting may weaken the ivy over time, but this is not guaranteed.
• Wait for the ivy to dry out and die on the remainder of the structure – before attempting to remove it.
• Working from the top down, using a Hori Hori – gently prise the ivy away from the structure, taking great care not to cause damage, then gently pull off in manageable portions. You may need to cut larger stems with a pruning saw. 
• Place removed ivy into green waste bags and dispose of it.

Protective clothing and accessories for ivy removal 

Contact with ivy can cause an allergic reaction – you must protect yourself at all times at work. 

My recommendations are as follows

• Protective eyewear 
• Mask
• Long-sleeved top
• Long trousers
• Workboots
• Rubber hand gloves

Wash all items thoroughly after each working session.

Recommended tools and gear

Before starting an ivy removal job, it’s vital to have the correct tooling at hand, so here are some helpful recommendations –

• Pruning saw – cuts through thicker stems – click here to buy
• Secateurs – cutting smaller ivy stems in tight spaces – click here to buy
• Shears – cuts excess ivy – click here to buy
• Hori trowel – effective to prise ivy from walls and other surfaces – click here to buy
• Trowel – digging around and out roots – click here to buy
• Garden spade – digging up roots – click here to buy
• Plant sprayer – for nontoxic solutions (see below) – click here to buy