Ivy. What to do with it?

[jackpot]

The bottom of garden has a load of ivy spread all over the wall. This has come from the garden that backs on to ours. Its starting to get wild after i cut it down last year. The problem is knowing whats best to do with it.

Infront of the ivy is concrete rectangular slab which i can only think was a sub base for a shed before we got the house. Im looking at making this slab a feature. (BBQ, pegola etc), but then need to tidy the back wall up by painting or screening. Will all look awful with a big mountain of ivy.

Is there any way of controllling it without killing as its not coming from our garden or will i just have to settle to cutting it down once a year and shredding it as theres too much to bag up.

 

[mattylad]

Given that it's your neighbours Ivy it may be best to have a word with them to ask if they can control it.

Other than that, yes your likely to have to just cut it back to the border of your property (and no further) each year.

We also have a similar problem, my missus can't stand the stuff but we get attacked from both sides.
Cutting it back seems the only defence against it.

(apart from poisoning it all & upsetting the neighbours).

 

[JohnD]

round my way there is some kind of mite that attacks ivy and kills it. Send me a pound and I will put a bit of infected ivy in an envelope for you.

View media item 10389
View media item 10388

 

[breezer]

round my way there is some kind of mite that attacks ivy

and your address is? I hate my neigbour and she is called ...............

 

[mattylad]

Put it on Ebay, I'm sure many would want it

 

[Symptoms]

Jack - consider living with it - maybe a little snipping occasionally to keep it under control. Ivy is wonderful stuff - evergreen & great for wildlife; I know what I'd rather look at ... an all-year-round lush wildlife haven or a brick wall (unless it's an original Georgian walled garden)

 

[jackpot]

Symtoms i think your probably right. When cut down it does look nice but that area of the garden does not get much sun so remains damper and wetter than the rest. When the ivy is thick it attracts all wet leaves and bits of rubbish that seems to gather. Cleaning this up is a pain as i have to fight the ivy also.

Hence this is the reason to make a feature out of the slab to clean it up abit. Either gravel board around it and infill with shingle, add a small pergola, and bbq area. Maybe cutting down once a year seems the best option.