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Poison Ivy Gone Mad? [PHOTOS]
Gorguruga
Posts: 57
This stuff has eaten away at this hedge and nearly ruined it altogether. I'm guessing it's poison ivy but not sure.
What is it and how do I get rid of it please?
Is there any chance I could regrow the hedge or maybe introduce another vine to provide equivalent coverage?
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Oh it's Ivy, so how do I get rid of it? And why is the hedge losing all it's leaves?
Common ivy (Hedera helix) is such a useful plant for wildlife http://www.wildlifegardenproject.com/wildlife/plants/104-common-ivy-hedera-helix
do you have to get rid of it?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yep - it looks like plain old Hedera helix to me. It might be killing the hedge indirectly by outcompeting it for water or soil nutrients, or there might be some other cause as Pansy says.
Cross posted with Dove. The flowers in autumn are particularly good for bees at a time of year when there's not much else about. They don't flower till they're a few years old though.
Ah you just jogged my memory. That reminded me about something the previous occupants said a while ago. The neighbour apparently poured a weed killer or pesticide (can't remember which exactly) in his garden and it ran across to the hedge which is what they said caused the hedge to start dying. I think this happened a few years ago, if I remember right.
I hadn't paid it much attention until today, had forgotten the story, so I'd assumed it was the ivy killing the hedge off.
If you don't want to dig out and replace the dead hedge, you could let the ivy grow up and clothe the dead hedge branches - keep the sides clipped and you'll have a lovely green ivy hedge that the birds will love to nest in
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Nice link, thanks. I do like the look of it in some ways but I'd just thought it was responsible for killing off the hedge. On top of that, with my assumption that it was poisonous and with a public footpath very close to it, I thought I should get rid of it to prevent any kids touching it and getting ill. If it's harmless, I wouldn't mind keeping it, if I could get my hedge back too though.
I wouldn't mind keeping it but also don't want my hedge to die off completely though. Do you think if I added specific nutrients regularly it might help both plants flourish?
A very few people suffer skin irritation if they come into close contact with it - e.g. rub bare skin with the leaves.
The vast majority of people suffer no ill effects from it at all
Remember the traditional English Christmas song - The Holly and the Ivy - use it in swags and garlands to decorate your home at Christmas
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That sounds like a nice idea.
As long as that part is nice and green again I'd be fine with that.
Do I need to do anything to encourage it to grow in a certain direction? And also nutrients? I have Gro-Sure Tomato Food if that's any use!