1 week Ago By [email protected] (Millie Bull, Rom Preston-Ellis)
Gardens all across the UK boast the common but potentially invasive English ivy – a plant well-known for its proficiency in clinging to fences, walls, buildings and even trees. However, when it comes to getting rid of the tenacious climber, with its thick glossy leaves that defy moisture, many find themselves at their wit's end. Into the fray steps the fanbase of celebrity cleaning guru Mrs Hinch , also known as Sophie Hinchliffe, offering a wealth of advice for those battling against ivy overgrowth.
Within the green-fingered community of the Facebook group 'Mrs Hinch Gardening Tips', one member named Joy Comben Allen sought assistance: "This ivy is taking over not only this tree but the whole flower bed but this is the worse part." She bemoaned her plight further: "I've sprayed it every night for over a week with Round Up but it's not doing a thing. I tried digging it up last year but it just keeps coming back.
Any advice please." Her call for help triggered a deluge of suggestions, yet the predominant strategy focused on eradicating the plant from the root. Helen Reid recommended: "Ivy is very persistent, you need to get the main root out and as much as the surrounding roots.
" She added a tip for delivering the final blow: "Depending on where it is, if nothing growing nearby, small amount of acid will kill anything left in the ground." Alternatively, she advised: "If you have nearby plants, just break anything left in the ground. It should work.
" Echoing the sentiment was Beth Carlisle who reported her own struggles with ivy invasion: "Dig up the roots - I have a similar issue creeping under the fence." She shared her tactic: "I cut stems about four inches above ground to pull away the creepers but need to leave a piece at ground level to let us pull up the root." In addition to these methods, other avid followers of Mrs Hinch advocated for using a more potent weed killer to tackle the formidable vine, reports the Express .
Karen Sim advised on the matter, saying: "You need stronger ivy killer and cut then put onto the roots." "Nothing else will kill it. I've had it in my garden for 30 years and it was the only way I could kill it.
Took many attempts though. Diesel kills it as well.".
