Re: Ivy

At 06:42 AM 3/2/00 -0500, you wrote:
 >
>Round-Up worked okay, except that the ivy sprung up outside the main bed,
>and then spread rapid-fire all over again.  Ivy doesn't succumb to Round-Up
>as well as some other species.  The best luck I have had is with digging
>the roots out, because then I can pull the vines, which leads to the
>smaller sprouts going into new territory.  That is so labor-intensive and
>miserable, and naturally, plenty of roots and vines break, so there is
>plenty to start up a patch again.
>
>
>Sheila Smith
>mikecook@pipeline.com
>Niles, MI  USA, Z 5/6
>
I'm also fighting the never-ending battle of the ivy. I've tried to keep
ahead of it, but like you say, it is constant, back-breaking work. It grows
up trees, and in addition to taking nutrients and water, it hogs sunlight,
too. When you try and pull it out of the tree, it pulls most of the bark
off with it. And its so heavy that if it does grow heavily into the tree it
becomes a real hazard in a windstorm or late season wet snow.

You're right, Round-up is not all that effective, probably because the ivy
roots deeply at every leaf node that touches the ground. I find that if it
gets ahead of me and invades high into a tree, the best (though not most
attractive) way to control it is to sever the vine at ground level, and
then just let it die on the tree.

I also have Euonymous, which has a similar habit, but grows more slowly so
is easier to keep ahead of.

Gerry
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