Help needed with ivy growing up the walls?

[lazy daisy]

I am hoping to move into a new house soon and it has ivy growing all over the fence and up the back wall of the house. I hate the stuff but my partner loves it. What i want to know is,
1) is it ok to trim it right back?...If so when is the best time?.
2) Is it possible to grow something up it like clematis to make it more interesting and colourful.
3) Can it damage the walls?

Personally i'd love to kill it all.

[madmaggot]

Best to remove it from the house walls. Don't just pull it away though; you should cut the stems near to the ground and it will die off, then you can get it off the walls.
It will recover from quite vicious pruning, if you want to plant clematis get rid of the ivy first as it will overwhelm most clematis strains.

[madmaggot]

Sorry, should also have said to dig up the roots after you've cut the growing stems.

[welshlibranr]

I don't like to see anything growing up the walls of a house, but at least with clematis you can cut it back and control it, I would cut the ivy back hard now, and in Spring too!........it's very vigorous!......Needs lots of control!...............you may kill it!.....but I doubt it!...............

[agardner09]

You don't say how thick this ivy is and how old it is, I have just cut through ivy stems that needed a chain saw! I'm with the others, you need to remove it from the walls asap by cutting the stems, spraying the leaves with Round Up or similar (add a drop of washing up liquid to counter the gloss of the leaves) and dig up the roots if you can. If this last is not possible, drill or cut the surface of the cut stems and treat with brush killer. If you leave it then it will destroy the surface of the wall and let the damp into it. No time like the present.

[boxtops]

Get rid, it comes back again and again if you cut it back. And spiders live in it.

[carlton23]

Sorry, but I`m afraid I disagree with all of the above comments about it damaging the house walls, as long as the brickwork is sound and the pointing is not falling out the ivy will not damage it. It`s only advisable to not let it grow into small cavities where the stems will expand and do damage. If you are a nature lover leave it alone for sparrows to nest in, and if you pull it off the brickwork you will be left with thousands of little `finger` marks that were the grippers and darn difficult to get rid of.

[agardner09]

Carlton I'm saddened to see that someone disagrees with what is common sense. The "finger" marks you mention are the first signs of the ivy growing into the wall. At that stage there is little damage but you let it get a hold it will destroy the surface and let the damp in to the wall. None of us have advocated pulling it off the wall I do agree that this could do damage, the ivy needs killing when it can then be removed safely. As to providing a glorified nest box for sparrows, they can find tons of little corners in which to nest without you risking your home and at the same providing a motorway for insects, snails and slugs,etc to gain access to the upper parts of a house.

[carlton23]

I have heard professional gardeners on Gardener's Question Time Radio2 on Sunday agree with what I say, and also on TV Gardeners World. As long as the brickwork is sound, ivy will not harm it.

[agardner09]

And who am I to argue with professionals, I am sure they are quite right in that ivy will not harm a solid wall for a long time which is why I asked lazy daisy how thick it was and how old it was. I have seen ivy with stems as thick as my arm growing over and into old buildings that have destroyed the walls aided by rain and frost. If you are willing to risk expensive repairs to walls to allow the sparrows to nest then good luck to you but I don't believe you should be reassuring others with that advice.

[LoftyLottie]

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/gardening/ivy.html

I actually have areas in the garden where I let the Ivy grow rampant (wonderful plant for birds) and a small area below the kitchen window where I grow a less rampant ornamental ivy. We live in a brick and flint cottage and if we let ivy take over it would eventually come through the walls (lime mortar) and end up as a decorative feature indoors.

Pyracantha is an ideal plant for growing up walls. Everygreen, spring flowers and great autumn berries. Also great for birds. It doesn't attach itself to walls. So perhaps you could offer an alternative to your partner!!

[vulcan]

I have been growing Ivy on my brick garage for about ten years and It has now spread and covered the roof. There is not the slightest sign of damage to walls and roof and clematis happily grow through it.At this time of the year the Russian Ivy changes colour to a bright red and the whole area is delightfully colourful.

[lazy daisy]

Thank for all your advice. Some of them stems are the thickness of a childs arm. My partner knows i don;t like it. It's growing eirher side of the decking in the back garden and around and above the kitchen window. it reaches the back bedroom window. The thought of sitting out there in the summer knowing there will be hundreds of spiders not too far away realy gives me the creeps. There is also some growing up the front of the house, this doesn't both me quite so much....But the thought of all those spiders ukh!