Get rid of ivy ‘quickly’ with expert’s effective home remedy so it ‘doesn’t grow back’
English ivy is an invasive species that quickly forms a dense mat that suppresses your garden plants and can even damage your property. Luckily, an expert has shared an "effective" household solution that works "quickly" so the plant "doesn't grow back".
Ivy plants make for stunning decoration in gardens, however, they are extremely invasive.
As a member of the evergreen perennial plant family, the woodiness of ivy enables it to climb up walls and trees or creep on patios and rocks.
Killing ivy is only effective when you get to the root of this mischievous plant to make sure it is banished for good.
To do so, Fiona Jenkins, gardening expert at myjobquote.co.uk ,has shared a natural method.
She said: “Although we often opt for that fairytale garden look when it comes to ivy, sometimes ivy plants can become extremely intrusive and invasive to our outdoor spaces. This is especially apparent when dealing with species of ivy such as English ivy and poison ivy.
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“Ivy has a tendency to spread like wildfire, making it extremely invasive within your garden, killing off other plants and greenery in the surrounding area.”
The expert advised using apple cider vinegar, dish soap and salt for the best way to kill ivy roots.
She said: “A strange yet effective combination to stunt the growth of ivy with quick results, is a mixture of apple cider vinegar (one gallon), dish soap (one ounce) and salt (one tablespoon).
“Fill up a spray bottle and spray thoroughly over the plant, let the mixture sit for at least five days before checking on the progress.”
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Once the ivy appears to be dead, use sheers to remove the plant from your property.
Never touch ivy with your bare hands. Always ensure you wear thick, long-sleeved clothing and gloves before treating the ivy plant to avoid skin irritation.
Fiona continued: “Once you’ve removed the plant, cover the roots with a solution of one part white vinegar and four parts water. This will effectively kill off the remainder of the plant, ensuring it doesn’t grow back again.”
Another eco-friendly and effective option for removing ivy and its root system is green mulching, according to the gardening pro.
Creating multiple layers of mulch on top of your ivy’s root system suffocates the roots and inhibits growth by cutting off the supply of air, light and water.
This option is a little less time-sensitive than the apple cider vinegar method, and may require a little more patience - however, it is still “highly effective”, assured Fiona.
For this method, gardeners can use a combination of biodegradable matter such as old cardboard, newspaper, grass and dead leaves and stack them on top of the soil where your ivy is living.
Once the ivy plant has withered, you can proceed to safely remove the plant and root system.
