Ivy grows about a foot a month in the summer. If you ignore it for a year, it’s like inviting Cousin Eddie to stay for Christmas—he’s still there in March. You need to check every few weeks for new shoots popping up from remaining roots.
How to get rid of ivy on a fence: 3 simple steps | Homes and Gardens
That’s the real secret: persistence. You won’t win in one weekend. Ivy is a marathon opponent. But every time you snip a new spring shoot, you’re saying, “Not today, invasive friend.” And eventually, it gets the hint.
The “lazy person’s method” (I use this)
If the ivy is in a boring patch of dirt you don’t care about, cover it with thick cardboard, then pile on a foot of mulch. No light = no ivy. Wait six months, and you’ll lift the cardboard to find pale, sad little roots that look like they’re apologizing. It’s like a desert prison for plants. Deliciously evil.
But if the ivy is climbing up your gorgeous stone wall, you have to play the long game. Cut, wait, peel, repeat. Do this three times a year, and after twelve months, you’ll have a clean wall and a new appreciation for manual labor. (Also, a forearms workout you didn’t ask for.)
