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Tips & Techniques

English Ivy Removal techniques?

newbiegardener_5

9 years ago

Hello!

We are dealing with English Ivy on the front of our house. Last month we cut all the vines that lead to the ground and dug up all the roots we could find. Now we just have a bunch of ivy clinging to the painted siding for dear life. We tried delicately pulling the ivy off piece by piece but it was bringing the paint up with it. So we decided to wait and let the ivy dry up hoping it would be easier.

Well it seems like the ivy isn't dying! I've been checking every week and it's like nothing changes! So two days ago I sprayed a 50% white vinegar 50% water mix on the ivy that is left and still no changes. Any tips or ideas for getting this ivy off without hurting the paint on the house?

All my google searches suggest scrubbing it off and then sanding and repainting (which I would LOVE to avoid).

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Comments (2)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 years ago
Speaking as one who lives surrounded by English ivy - it is a major invasive problem in the PNW - if you severed the ivy on the house from its roots, it is dead........it just hasn't dried out yet. That takes time, usually several months with summer weather; longer if cooler and damp.

But it won't make any difference if it is still green and somewhat succulent or fully dry and brown. Pulling it off the house will remove paint - ivy actually glues itself to the surface it attaches to and that remains firmly in place even when the plant is dead and the vines dry and brown.

How English ivy attaches.
newbiegardener_5 thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
newbiegardener_5
Original Author
9 years ago
Yikes. I was afraid of that. Have you heard of anything that maybe dissolves or softens their little hairs? Possibly boiling water?
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