If ivy is growing in places on the house where you don't want it, you'll naturally want to get rid of it. However, the climbing plant is known for not being easy to remove. This is because their sticky roots can adhere well to both stones and wood. However, in this article we will explain to you how you can easily remove ivy from a house wall.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the plant for the home
Before we explain to you how best to remove ivy from a house wall, we would first like to introduce you to the advantages and disadvantages of the plant.
Advantages:With ivy you createa vertical garden, which requires very little work. It also provides natural insulation on the outside of the house. This is one of the reasons why you can see it on old houses.
Many people think that this climbing plant damages the walls. That's not entirely true. Cement used to be much more brittle and in old houses it could really cause problems. However, nowadays the cement used is much harder and the plant cannot damage it.
Disadvantages: The biggest disadvantage has to do with care. Although easy to care for, it is sometimes difficult to control the plant as it grows very quickly and adapts perfectly to both sun and shade. For this reason, some people perceive it as a weed. In addition, it is not always easy to remove them, which leads us directly to the next point. If you want to remove ivy from the house wall, just read on!
Remove ivy from the house wall – follow these steps
As already mentioned, you don't have to worry about the quality of the wall if it has been overgrown with climbing plants for years. It can only cause damage in very old houses where porous cement was used. This damage occurs when the plant roots become trapped between the bricks. However, in modern buildings this is not the case and the ivy roots cannot penetrate the wall. They just use it to anchor themselves to it, nothing more.
Here are the steps you should follow if you want to remove ivy from a house wall.
Step 1: Remove the roots
If you want to remove a live ivy plant from your home wall, you will have to pull and push very hard, at the risk of damaging the wall. This is just a waste of time and effort.
- Instead, start by removing the roots in the ground using a garden spade.
- It is also important that you do not leave a single point of contact between the plant and the soil. Otherwise it will happily start growing again. To be on the safe side, you can cut the vine above the ground, just above the roots, with pruning shears.
What you could do with the leaves:Ivy as detergent and dishwashing liquid: effective recipes
Step 2: Wait until the plant is completely dry
Once you remove the roots, the waiting begins. It may take some time for the climbing plant to dry out and die. This is because it still has reserves in its branches that can keep it alive for some time after the roots have been removed.
Step 3: If the leaves are brown, pull out the ivy
If the leaves turn brown and dry up, it's time for the next step. Gently pull the plant away from the wall. This is the easiest way to remove them.
Step 4: Remove ivy from the house wall - remove sticky roots
The most tedious part of ivy removal is actually not so much removing the plant itself. What is time consuming is getting rid of the sticky roots that often remain on the wall. Some you can easily brush off with a stiff brush, while others require a special weed brush.
- Tipp: If the sticky roots are very stubborn and you have a large area to remove them from, try using a high pressure sprayer. You can also burn them.
Finally, clean the wall thoroughly. This will remove the last stuck roots and debris left behind by the climbing plant.
Summary: Ivy – favorite plant or weed?
That depends entirely on your judgment. Personally, I really like the ivy on the wall of my house and wouldn't part with it. But maybe you have a completely different opinion. If so, remember that you should thoroughly remove all roots from the soil and prevent any possible contact of the plant with the soil. Then wait for the plant to die back so you can pull it out quickly and easily.
- Tipp: To remove ivy from a fence, follow steps 1 to 3 of the method described above.
Planting ivy in the garden – what advantages does the evergreen climbing plant offer? You can do thatfind out here!
