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Well established ivy and brambles
crpswheelies
Posts: 54
Hi all
Other than lots of digging and covering ivy and bramble with black plastic are there any other tricks to deal with well established ivy and bramble. We don't want to use chemicals either but the ivy and brambles have been here for a good few years before we moved in last year.
Are there any plants that will grow in semi shade under trees that can help to eradicate ivy and brambles.
Thank you
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Posts
I think digging is all you can do. There are no plants that would eradicate bramble and ivy except worse invaders like horsetail and Japanese Knotweed. Bramble and Ivy are easy compared to them.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I absolutely agree with Nut - without using weedkiller, all you can do is to dig, dig and dig again. Cut the brambles back first so you have stumps and keep digging - you'll need a good strong mattock - ordinary garden fork and spade won't be tough enough to do the job.
To be honest with you, I hate using chemicals too, but to get rid of established brambles and ivy I would cut them hard back and then in the spring I would spray all new growth with glyphosate - wait until it's all died back and then dig it up and burn. Then wait for the bits you've missed to grow and I'd spray again - even doing it this way it'll take you at least a season to make sure you've got it all.
It's the way I've done it in the past and I would do it again.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I had an area about 30ft x 30ft that was just brambles/nettles/ivy and docks at the end of my garden.
I got some Rosate36 (very strong glyphosphate, which breaks down on contact with soil and becomes harmless) I sprayed 3 times over 2months and everything was dead, even the ivy.
Roundup (the usual glyphosphate) has no effect on ivy in my experience
Doing it all by hand will get you very fit though, but if you miss a bit of root (which you will) it'll start popping up again.
Like Dove, I don't like to use chemicals, but sometimes it's the only realistic choice and Rosate36 works very well indeed
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Pete8
I've used Roundup effectively on ivy, but on young growth which I bruised first.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've never tried on young growth Dove. I'd have had a lot of bruising to do...
before
after
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Looks familiar Pete
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'll soon be asking for suggestions as to what to grow down there
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks nut - All ready to do the soft landscaping now and build a little waterfall for the wildlife pond.
I need to get the electrics sorted soon, I've bought a new propagator, but no leccy down there yet.
It'll get done in the next month as the evenings draw out.
I've ordered so many seeds this year I'm embarrassed..
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Enjoy - it looks great!