In my experience, the only way to kill ivy is to rip it out by the roots. You can prune it as much as you like and it will always come back but it’s not going to be happy as the years roll on, being kept to within a foot of the fence.
Ivys great for wildlife but it can be a scourge for the gardener. If you allow it to reach its adult stage then the pollinators will love you but it will seed in every bit of spare ground in a 100 foot radius and beyond.
If you encourage ivy then please consider your neighbours because it will creep along walls and through hedges to colonise your neighbours gardens and it will become a pest. Run your hedge trimmer periodically along the boundaries where it grows to stop it from spreading.
Just because you like it doesn’t mean everybody else should have to.
B, if you don't want the 'brown sticks' look, I would prune before you get to the woodyness. Does your type get autumn/winter berries? And if it does, does it matter to you? If not, I guess now would be fine.
I've been in this house for over twenty years and the ivy wall was mature before I moved in. My neighbours and l are happy to have the ivy and, for all we know, it could've been planted by either side. There seems to be at least four different varieties present. Some are more vigorous than others. There'll still be berries and cover elsewhere. It doesn't really bother me pulling up the bits that attempt to launch themselves across the garden😊 Thanks @DaveGreig@Fire
The front of the house is covered by 'Goldheart'. It desperately needs pruning but I will have to wait another month because of the birds. Last time it had a hard prune I found 8 nests and there could well have been one or two small ones I missed!
Pied wagtails nest there every year and dunnocks and maybe wrens so I have to be patient!
“Just because you like it doesn’t mean everybody else should have to.”
Apologies if I sounded a bit ‘terse’ there B3, I meant the universal you and not you personally and having reread my post, that maybe didn’t come across.
My neighbour has allowed his ivy to invade our boundary hedge over the years and now it has crept along the top boundary as well. It’s a progressive problem on my 150 feet of mixed lonicera (ugh)and privet. I try to keep on top of it but my advancing years are making it difficult. I won’t bore you with any more of the details, my point was that Ivy’s only nice when it’s where you want it and most of mine is not there of my choosing.
Maybe I should change my name to ‘Irate of Tunbridge Wells.’ 😉
"If you allow it to reach its adult stage then the pollinators will love
you but it will seed in every bit of spare ground in a 100 foot radius
and beyond. "
I haven't found this at all. I have a green wall too - at least 20 years old - and my neighbour and I just have to manage it. It gets a prune in about January and I keep an eye on it through the summer, leaving the top for berries and bringing the sides in, as I have a narrow garden. It looks lovely, wildlife loves it, it doesn't spread across the ground or seed much. I think it depends on the type of ivy you have and where it is.
It's not illegal to prune your own hedge at any time of year. Just check for nesting birds first.
@DaveGreig. No offence taken😀 fortunately my neighbours and I are happy with the ivy. we both keep it low and away from the houses, but my side had got a bit wide as it's difficult to get behind the shrubs and viscious roses.My garden is informal (the polite way of putting it) . The odd bit of ivy with the wanderlust gets pulled out easily enough when i notice it. You're right in that if either of us stopped the basic maintenance, it would become a huge problem for the other.
Posts
Ivys great for wildlife but it can be a scourge for the gardener. If you allow it to reach its adult stage then the pollinators will love you but it will seed in every bit of spare ground in a 100 foot radius and beyond.
If you encourage ivy then please consider your neighbours because it will creep along walls and through hedges to colonise your neighbours gardens and it will become a pest. Run your hedge trimmer periodically along the boundaries where it grows to stop it from spreading.
Just because you like it doesn’t mean everybody else should have to.
Thanks @DaveGreig @Fire
A A Milne
Apologies if I sounded a bit ‘terse’ there B3, I meant the universal you and not you personally and having reread my post, that maybe didn’t come across.
My neighbour has allowed his ivy to invade our boundary hedge over the years and now it has crept along the top boundary as well. It’s a progressive problem on my 150 feet of mixed lonicera (ugh)and privet. I try to keep on top of it but my advancing years are making it difficult. I won’t bore you with any more of the details, my point was that Ivy’s only nice when it’s where you want it and most of mine is not there of my choosing.
Maybe I should change my name to ‘Irate of Tunbridge Wells.’ 😉
You're right in that if either of us stopped the basic maintenance, it would become a huge problem for the other.