Poison(ing) Ivy!!

The first year I decided to take on my ivy-covered garden and turn it into a perennial bed was one of heavy sweat and slim results, at least from an aesthetic point of view.

In another lifetime, I put the ivy it in, as it looked nice and green without much maintenence. It looked perfect with my Georgian brick home, historically accurate and all that... But getting it to go away? Hah! I tried all kinds of tricks to get rid of the knee-deep ivy, without results...pulling it up was useless-one tiny piece left in the ground returned as ten- foot runner before my very eyes. Not only that, I discovered the thick foliage harbored quite a few (mostly sleepy) snakes.

Ivy has heavy, waxy leaves which are almost poreless. Foliar acitivated products-Weed-be-Gone, Round-Up, etc.-- simply rolled off the leaves and fell harmlessly to the ground. I might as well have sprayed my favorite Chanel #5 perfume on the ivy-it would have been cheaper!

I almost did a Bat-turn in my car when I drove by the Atlanta History Center one afternoon, and saw the gardeners yanking bales of ivy out of old oaks and off the ground!!. While I was slaving uselessly away on my little acre, the real pros at the Center were actually getting RID of the ivy on their 100-year old property. What was their secret?

It's a three-step process, which requires diligence and usually at least one growing season:

1. Mow the ivy down as far as is possible. You may have to use a machete, or an industrial grade weed-eater. Wear goggles, and look out for lost dog bones, tennis balls, and other detritus which may have been lurking under the leaves for Lord knows how long. (The noise will run the snakes away. Probably.)

2. Wait for the new, light green growth to appear on the remaining ivy and ZAP it with a double or triple strength soltuion of a foliar-activated agent. Be ruthless. This is war.

3. Remove dead material, and repeat the process. Do NOT compost this dead stuff, unless you want a bin full of ivy.

It took an entire summer to make visible progress, but it was worth the effort. Ivy has a shallow, albeit stubborn, root sytem and once the green material is eliminated, the roots almost dissolve, and can be tilled under. The following summer, I was able to amend the soil and get started on what my young son calls "the pretty part."

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