Can I Safely Remove Ivy From My Property?
Picture your dream home, draped in a curtain of ivy from top to bottom, placed in the rolling hills of the beautiful British countryside. All is well, until you decide you no longer want your home covered in Ivy, whether that be for cosmetic or structural reasons! Ivy can be pretty aggressive, and this is made very clear if you don’t safely remove ivy. So, we’ve created this guide to help you get rid of it without causing any harm to the surface you’re clearing.
Cover Up
Ivy can cause irritation to skin depending on the kind of ivy you’re dealing with and the sensitivity of your skin. We advise that you cover your arms and legs for protection and always wear gloves. If you’re dealing with poison Ivy you should take extra caution!
Wall Removal
Although Ivy can be harmless if grown up certain walls, it can also be hugely damaging if grown up old, cracked or porous walls. If allowed to grow up these walls, the ivy will creep into any gaps in the bricks, growing through the solid material which will cause the structure of your property to become unstable. It’s not something to ignore!
If you suspect this to be happening on your walls, you should act as early as possible but remove the ivy slowly. Tearing down the vines from your wall will only create a higher risk of damage, as in the process you may pull away the loose brick or mortar that the vines have clung on to. Instead, gently cut the ivy and pull it gently away from the wall. You can use a wire or strong brush head to remove any roots left in the wall. Finally apply weed killer to the ivy’s ground roots. Make sure you dispose of the cuttings straight away to avoid any regrowth.
Tree Removal
When ivy grows up trees it looks mystical and ethereal, however it actually robs the tree of it’s vital nutrients. Not only does it steal the trees nutrients (and no one like a food thief), it also blocks the suns light from the trees bark, making it somewhat weaker. And it doesn’t end there. If left to grow for a while, the weight of the ivy can tear the bark away from the trunk.
To avoid damage to the tree’s bark, ivy must be removed gently. Cut the vines to around waist level with garden sheers, all around the trunk. You can leave the remainder of the vines as these should dry out and die within a month or so. Don’t use any weed killer or pull out the vines before you know they are dead. This has been know to harm and damage the trees bark. Remove as much of the ivy roots that you can with your hands from around the base of the trunk. You want to clear at least a 1 metre radius from the tree trunk. This will allow you to act fast if you see any new vines forming. Spray any roots or vines outside the 1 metre radius of the tree trunk with weed killer. Spray the cut vines with the chemicals too. You may need to repeat this process.
If you need any help to safely remove ivy, feel free to get in touch for a free quote.