Removing ivy

[Cobnut]

Hello there

I’m new to this website (although been lurking for some months ) and have just bought an old (1750) cottage in Herefordshire, which has ivy growing up one end covering the chimney. My surveyor has told us to remove it but we need to know the best way...I don’t want to damage the building, or end up with an unsightly dead plant stuck to it. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Liz.

 

[skier-hughes]

Liz,
We were told the same.
On looking at it, I thouhgt it was going to be a massive job, as it covered about 50' of wall and was around 10' high.

I just pulled it away and it all came off in one big sheet. After the first piece started peeling off, I walked along it carefully to pull it down. I then cut it into manageable sized chunks and carted it off to the bonfire.

Another person then told me Lime is poinonous to Ivy, so the suckers wouldn't root into it, only the bricks and on our house they are quite dense, so it wasn't really holding onto anything much.

We now have lots of suckery pieces along the wall, which as we walk along we give a little rub and as it's died off and dried up are gradually coming off easier and easier. This is part of the house now, so we don't look at it and think aaarrrggghhh!!

Graham

 

[biffvernon]

Another person then told me Lime is poisonous to Ivy, so the suckers wouldn't root into it... Graham

Oh that's interesting - and makes sense. The ivy that grew up our lime mortared brick walls didn't send roots into the mortar so could be prised of in a big sheet. (Not an easy job thought) I removed it when I got tired of it blocking the gutters and drainpipes.

 

[NT]

The simplest way is to cut the stems at the base, and thats that. The leaves fall off by themselves, leaving twiggy remains, which actually look quite attractive, and will eventually rot away over a few years.

Pulling it all off can be a big job, and I can always find something else to do with all that time.


NT

 

[skier-hughes]

Only took me about 10 minutes to do my large (well I think large) section. Then about 3/4 hour to cut up and remove.

Dust mask and eye protection essential.

After cutting the stems I then used a killer treatment, can't rememer what it is called and had to use it again on a few parts which started growing again, but it seems to be dead now. We had about 15 main stems.

Graham

 

[L1zzy]

Just a little reminder to all that its bird nesting time and it might be a good idea to wait till later in the year before pulling down nests baby birds et al - loads of birds nest in Ivy as its a great soruce of insects.

I've always done this job by cutting off all tendrils at the base of the plant and then it dies upwards if you get my drift - also by the time its does this the birds will have flown!! good news all round eh?

 

[skier-hughes]

Lizzy,

An excellent and timely reminder.

When I come to do some repointing I have to leave one small section as I have had Blue tits nesting in it... When we take this sort of property on we take it as it is, and should respect those around us as well, be they human or not.

Graham

 

[L1zzy]

Ah a man after my own heart!

I have Swifts nesting in next doors wooden soffits/Fascias two pairs - fab I feel so lucky to be able to see them - they're so much bigger than i thought and they make this fab whoosshing noise as they swoop past my head to get into their nest/scrape.

Too often we bods ignore the birds - they only need a little consideration - I'm hoping to be able to lure some to nest in my roof before long.

 

[Penners]

Cobnut

I had to remove large quantites of ivy from our last house, in Oxfordshire. I echo the view that it doesn't seem to penetrate lime mortar, but it still clings bl**dy hard to the outside of a stone building!

I just ripped it off bit by bit (do follow Graham's advice about a mask and googles - it gives off huge amounts of dust). Then when it was all gone down to stump level, I drilled several holes in the top of the stump and filled them with stump killer poison. Possibly not a very environmentally friendly decision - but the stump obligingly breathed its last!

 

[skier-hughes]

Ah a man after my own heart!

I have Swifts nesting in next doors wooden soffits/Fascias two pairs - fab I feel so lucky to be able to see them - they're so much bigger than i thought and they make this fab whoosshing noise as they swoop past my head to get into their nest/scrape.

Too often we bods ignore the birds - they only need a little consideration - I'm hoping to be able to lure some to nest in my roof before long.

Lizzy,
We moved from a housing estate only a couple of miles from Cannock Chase, a massive amount of woodland, and we rarely saw any wildlife, apart from Deer on the chase.

To an ex-farmhouse only a couple of miles from the centre of Wolverhampton, but now we have.
Kestrels
Sparrowhawks
Little Owls
Barn Owls
Great spotted and Green woodpeckers
Jays, loads of Tits, finches, sparrows etc...
Swifts, we have swallows, last year was about 30 pairs, only about 20 this, but they nest in the barns, which the ex-farmer leaves the windows open for them.

We raised 64 ducks last year, one Gosling, quite a few moorhens. Though the arrival of two Herons wasn't quite as nice as it sounds.

The year before last a Kingfisher came, but we've not seen it since our arrival.

Costs us quite a bit in bird feed, but it's absolutely superb to be able to do the washing up, or lie on the hammock with a coool glass of white wine :wink: and watch them all.

Graham

 

[L1zzy]

Wow I'm sooooo jealous ..........its nice to find a kindred spirit - twitch on!!

 

[biffvernon]

Jackdaws nested in the owl box this year but they've flown now and the barn owl has moved in. Nice the way they take turns.

 

[NT]

I guess Ivy clings differently to different walls, I wouldnt have got far in 10 minutes.

Another advantage of leaving dead ivy in place is it provides a framework for the new climber, which will in time secure itself to teh various fittings without need for wires, trellis etc.

Lots of animals use ivy, insects, snails, birds... all are welcome here


NT

 

[Cobnut]

Thanks everyone for the advice, and a good reminder about the possible nesting birds. I hate to kill plants, and I love the ivy, but it’s starting to creep across the roof so I suppose I should at least stop it spreading further. I’ll hang on as long as possible though then leave it in situ after it’s had the chop, so hopefully it won’t disturb the wildlife too much :? .

Liz.