How to kill ivy naturally – 3 easy ways

Gardening hacks: Expert reveals how you can use vinegar

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Ivy can be a beautiful addition to gardens and climbing walls, lasting year-round and latching on to any surface. However, ivy can also become invasive, climbing up houses with the ability to reach up to 30 metres. As well as potentially damaging property, some ivy types can cause allergic reactions from touch or nausea and vomiting if eaten.

So if you want to control ivy around your property, what can you do?

Of course, there are professionals, but the costs can soon mount when hiring someone to rid you of the plant.

You can also nab store-bought weed killer to treat it, however, this can contain harsh chemicals.

There are some natural ways to remove ivy, so read on for three ways to get rid of the invasive plant.

Read More: How to weed your garden: Six ways to remove weeds on your lawn

1. White vinegar

White vinegar is a bit of a wonder product, often used to clean our homes and remove stains like limescale.

However, mix limescale with water and add to a spray bottle and you have yourself a readymade ivy killer.

You will need to mix together 20 percent white vinegar to 80 percent water in a spray bottle.

Spritz the troublesome ivy with the mixture, however, take care to not spray any plants you want to keep.

Then leave the mixture to sit for a couple of days, and then check the ivy.

You should be able to remove any dead ivy and then use the vinegar and water mixture again as needed.

Simply use gloved hands to pull off the dead plants.

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2. Sheet mulching

Another method to shift unwieldy ivy is to create your own mulch.

You will need all manner of cardboard, dead leaves, dead grass, old newspapers or similar.

Place the mulch layers on top of where the ivy grows – as this will suffocate the plant and stop it from growing.

Don’t worry about your garden using this mulching method, as these materials will decompose and add nutrients to the soil.

3. Duct tape, table salt, and water

Finally, all you will need is some water, salt, garden clippers and duct tape to shift that pesky ivy.

Look for vines close to the ground and cut them so they are exposed around the top – try and cut them flat.

Using the duct tape, create a cup around the freshly cut vine – tight enough to be watertight.

Pour three-quarters of table salt in each cup and add water.

This method makes the ivy drink saltwater and dehydrates itself.

You will be able to grab the dead plant after a few days or top it up with saltwater if it needs to sit for longer.

Make sure to use gloves when handling ivy plants.

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