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Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 923
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 2:23 pm: | 
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We have privet boardering our property that is in the process of being revived (by me.) One portion that has been suffering has English Ivy intermingled with the privet roots.
The ivy seems to grow up the privet and strangle it. Now, I've been untangling it and pulling it, but it grows back. So, I've got the idea that, if I let it grow on my fence NEXT to the privet, it will stop trying to grow up the privet.
First question, is that dumb?
Number two: If that is not dumb, how should I train the English Ivy? I untangled some vines from the privet and twisted them up the posts of the fence. Should I have twisted them along the bottom crossbar of the fence, so it can send vines up from there?
All ideas, information, and conjecture welcomed.
J.B. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 933
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 4:00 pm: |
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BUMP. Any gardener's out there...
Hello...? |
Melonious
Citizen
Username: Melonious
Post Number: 111
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 5:12 pm: |
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OK, here's my conjecture (based on voracious reading, no actual vine experience):
From what I've read, English Ivy is like a weed, so even if you do train it away from your privet, the roots will still be under there, and sending shoots up and around the bush until hell freezes over. All the books say be careful about where you start ivy, because it is very hard to detangle from trees and can damage structures of buildings.
Is your desire to solely revive the privet (for mercy's sake) or to have a border shrub at the edge of your property? If the latter, my guess is that you will have less heartache if you rip out the privet, and rent some kind of root shredder or rototiller machinery to make sure you've gotten all the adjacent roots out. Then start over again with a new bush.
Again, this is just my guess. All you experts, feel free to chime in!
Good luck, Jersey. |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 738
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 7:40 pm: |
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i would get rid of the english ivy...it will take your fence AND your privet over. plus, english ivy looks best as a ground cover, not a fence and tree cover. english ivy is for gardeners that want a quick solution but it needs to be seriously controlled or else.
ditch the ivy. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 937
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 10:00 pm: |
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So does this mean whoever planted it there in the first place was a total dufus?
J.B.
It wasn't me. |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 1786
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 10:23 pm: |
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Not necessarily. At some point a truly avid, obsessive gardner might have planted it to train it; because it makes a lush ground cover even in shade; because they were clueless and the nursery told them it was a money tree. Not necessarily a total dufus - you shouldn't assume.  |
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