I have a use for that pesky ivy the trunk makes a great stem for arrangementsjackpoint said:Think again :shock:
It made it's own cavity wall :lol:
I agree with you Ivor, but it's a two-edged sword. The ivy on the front of my house had indeed protected the stonework and pointing where the ivy was thick, but at the edges it was encouraging dampness and was making its way into lots of places where ivy shouldn't be allowed, like in the slate roof and through walls. Last year I wrote this page http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/ivy-is-enemy-and-fun-with-joists.html in my blog about this subject. Sadly the damn stuff grows so much that it can easily get out of reach of the average owner of an old property. From that moment the ivy has won the battle and will really start its destructive work, often out of sight.88v8 said:It was on our back wall for 30 years, and I hope still is. It stopped the thermal cracking of the back (south) wall, and waterproofed the garage parapet which, in areas not covered by ivy, also had thermal problems. However, on the house, it needs intelligent management which is often lacking. Not the ivy's fault.
On trees, it can be an enhancement up to a certain height, provides food & habitat, but, again, it needs management. I'm sad to see so many trees with ivy growing unchecked into the crown, which will eventually lead to their collapse.
I think that most of ivy's bad press is down to the lazyness of people who should be looking after it; some of us have inherited the results of that lazyness, but it's not the fault of the ivy.
Ivor
Very true. Once it reaches the roof line it needs annual pruning, otherwise it will get between the tiles and into the attic. Over the years, the thickness builds up layer on layer, making pruning pretty difficult, especially if one tries at the wrong time of the year when the wasps are after the pollen. I can imagine if we'd stayed there into our old age, it would have become challenging.MatthewC said:...the damn stuff grows so much that it can easily get out of reach of the average owner of an old property. From that moment the ivy has won the battle and will really start its destructive work, often out of sight.88v8 said:.... on the house, it needs intelligent management which is often lacking. Not the ivy's fault.o the lazyness of people who should be looking after it; some of us have inherited the results of that lazyness, but it's not the fault of the ivy.
Ivor
dalivar said:Woody.. cut throught the stem low down and leave it, I see lots of ivy covered trees dealt with in this way.
The ivy still needs it roots to survive.