[net.garden] Getting Weeds out of Ivy

fdf@houxa.UUCP (Franklin Fite) (09/26/86)

I just bought a house that has a hill planted with ivy. I do not know
the specific species of ivy - it looks like "generic" ivy to me.

The problem: the ivy is full of weeds due to lack of care. The weeds
are of many types from dandelions to sumac bushes. Is there a chemical
or something that ivy is resistant to and that can kill weeds? I real-
ize that I will have to dig up plants one at a time that the chemical
doesn't kill, but the more weeds I can chemically remove, the less my
back will ache!

Any suggestions as to how to clear my ivy patch are appreciated.
Please mail replies to me.

Thanks in advance,

Frank Fite
ihnp4!hotlx!fdf

Room 3F-402
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Holmdel NJ 07733
201-949-1240

jwg@teddy.UUCP (Jim Galbiati) (09/29/86)

In article <1191@houxa.UUCP> fdf@houxa.UUCP (Franklin Fite) writes:
>The problem: the ivy is full of weeds due to lack of care. The weeds
>Is there a chemical or something that ivy is resistant to 
>and that can kill weeds? 

This is an execllent time of year to cut/pull weeds.
Most are annuals and are busy making seeds for next years crop.
My yard is extremely weedy (the previous owners didn't even cut the lawn
for seven years, according to the neighbors), so this summer we put in
a strong effort to remove weeds.  This consisted of three saturday mornings
(may, july, sep) cutting and pulling weeds.  Grand total 12 person-hours.

The weeds are definitely on the retreat now.  If we pull whatever we
see next year I think we'll have won the yard back.  I think 12 hours
of work is worth not contaminating our yard, garden, wildlife,
and neighborhood children with pesticides.

-- 
{decvax,linus,wjh12,mit-eddie,cbosgd,masscomp}!genrad!panda!jwg

carolp@plx.UUCP (09/30/86)

I have been told by a landscaper friend of mine that you CAN NOT kill ivy,
no matter what.  The best weed-killer I know of is Round-Up, which is 
phenomenally expensive, but works great and is not supposed to be toxic to
animal life.  (I've heard that in the sales demos the guy drinks the stuff!)
And it DOES NOT kill ivy.  Have fun.   

jkg@gitpyr.gatech.EDU (Jim Greenlee) (10/21/86)

In article <283@plx.UUCP> carolp@plx.UUCP (Carol Proulx) writes:
>
>I have been told by a landscaper friend of mine that you CAN NOT kill ivy,
>no matter what.  The best weed-killer I know of is Round-Up, which is 
>phenomenally expensive, but works great and is not supposed to be toxic to
>animal life.  (I've heard that in the sales demos the guy drinks the stuff!)
>And it DOES NOT kill ivy.  Have fun.   

Whoever told you that Round-Up doesn't kill animal life was
dead (no pun intended) wrong! That stuff is dangerous and
should be used only with extreme caution. It will kill any
plant it comes in contact with - including, but not limited
to, the plants you wanted to get rid of! Be particularly care-
ful if you buy it in concentrated form and follow all label
directions. I refuse to use it at my house because we have 
small children, but some of my neighbors have used it to control
grass shoots coming up between the cracks in their walks. It is 
a very effective (and deadly) herbicide.
                                             Jim Greenlee

-- 
The Shadow
Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!jkg