How to kill a creeping vine growing out of control

11 years ago

I have a problem that has been developing over the last several years. A vine has been crawling up a 20 foot brick wall in my garden. It has now reached the top and I am afraid that it's starting to grow down into my neighbor's yard on the other side of the wall. It is also slowly creeping to the apartment windows of other neighbors nearby (the lady on the third floor has already complained about insects).

I've tried to kill it by cutting the vines, thus separating the growth above from the roots below. But that has yielded no result.

I'm sorry but I don't know what type of vine it is (the kind that grows like crazy!). Hopefully, it can be identified from the attached photos. I like in Europe where the temperature is moderate, and in the winter the temperature doesn't fall below freezing but for only 4 weeks in the year. It does rain a lot.

So, any suggestions on how to kill it? Should I just buy a herbicide and spray all the leafs (20 feet high and a length of 10 feet)?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

This post was edited by MegaMike on Wed, Mar 20, 13 at 14:04

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Comments (3)

MegaMike
Original Author
11 years ago
Here is another photo to help identify this plant.
Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
11 years ago
I hope you can get some help. English Ivy sure looks like a thug.
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
If you have cut the vines loose from the roots but it is still green on the wall, there must be other connections to the ground, possibly on the other side of the wall already.

Please do not spray that much stuff. What I would do is manually remove as much of it as you can, completely off of the wall if possible, down to the ground, and whatever roots you can extricate. If it's not possible to pull it off of the wall, just make sure you have severed all connections to the ground. This will force the roots to use stored energy reserves to start growing again. The foliage on the wall should die without its' roots, but may take a while to show it.

When it starts growing again, put the tips of the new growth in a jar of foliage-ingested herbicide, like glyphosate. If you dig a little hole for the jar, it won't tip over. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a hole just big enough for the vine to go in. The vines will drink poison and take it to the roots to kill the whole thing. Be sure to retrieve and properly dispose of the jar when the vine has died. The first few tips may not be enough to completely kill an established ivy vine. There may be several individual vines that are not connected at the roots. Keep hacking at it and sticking the tips in poison. This method prevents the substance from being sprayed, which can drift onto desirable plants nearby, and none is put on the ground.

You could also use a cotton ball or paint brush to paint the cut stumps with a brush killer made for such purpose.

Whatever product you might consider, please read and follow the label instructions.