English Ivy

[Bobballs]

Hi,

I moved into an house a few months back and the both sides of the garden were full of ivy and it was also climbing side of house I spent many, many hours trying to clear it, today I also realised what I thought was a shrub was a mature ivy plant I missed it before as the stem is approx 8inch wide it's a monster. I've noticed the whole area I moved to is rather green and every were seems to have some covering of in ivy so considering this I don't think I will ever be rid of it.

I've not experienced ivy before but will it die back in the winter or do I have to actively manage it and cut it back ? The mature ivy plant I have appears to be fruiting so I guess they would have seeds in so again when they fall to the ground they could be causing me a lot of bother so I would be wise to kill of the mature plant ?

 

[bernardgreen]

Cut the stem with a gap several inches wide and use stump killer in the stump.

One thing to look out for is where the ivy has grown between bricks, roof tiles, fence posts etc. While grow it will have swollen and force things apart. While still healthy the pressure remains and the bricks tiles etc will be still held firm even though oit of place. When the ivy dies and shrinks these tiles may become loose