Creeping Ivy?

Maggiemoo_2

Hi, I have what I think is called a creeping ivy in my garden (see them alot around train stations and they have white trumpet flowers on them). It is winding itself around all of the trees and bushes in my garden and getting under the shed. I have tried pulling it up but it keeps on breaking and coming back. Is there anything I can do to get rid of it permanently? Any suggestions from all you gardeners out there would be most helpful.

urban_spirit

Hi Maggiemoo

It sounds like you've got bindweed in your garden, and it's really difficult to get rid of. It can re-grow from even a small piece being left in the ground, and can burrow underground a fair distance before it surfaces, so the roots of the plant can be a distance away.

I have this problem and have found the only thing that does kill it is roundup weedkiller as it kills the roots of the plant too. Not the greenest of things to use but I haven't found anything else as effective. Make sure you don't get ANY of the spray on plants you want to keep though, 'cos it will kill them (I used the inside of a toilet roll to stop over-spray!).

Be persistant and you'll win the war!

Happy gardening.

Maggiemoo_2

Thanks Urban Spirit,
Do I spray the plant or put it on the ground where it seems to be coming from. As you can tell I am not a gardener. Recently moved and this is our first house with a garden. I have pulled it up in many places but it is coming out all over the place.

urban_spirit

Hiya

You can do both with Roundup. If you spray the leaves, stem or ground where you know there's a shoot it will get back to the root and kill it as long as the spray touches part of the plant. As I said though, be really careful of any overspray getting on plants you want to keep. I pull up as much as I can and throw it away (don't leave on your garden as it will re-root), then spray any remaining bits of shoot through a toilet roll tube resting against the ground. I must look totally ridiculous but I haven't lost any of my plants yet!!!

I've got bindweed around 2 sides of my garden due to disused allotments at the back and a neighbour that hates gardening at the side, so this weed has really got a hold of my plants-or is trying to!

Hope this helps. Happy squirting!!!

Maggiemoo_2

Thanks so much, I will give it a go and see how I get on.:D