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Imagine your landscape, desirable plants, and groundcovers being smothered by ground ivy, consuming all the nutrients and blocking sunlight in the process.
Learn how to kill this invasive plant by combining physical removal and topical treatment.
Save your property from the fierce plant by following these steps on how to kill ground ivy and prevent its return.
First of all, let’s look at the reason why ground ivy is hard to kill.
Ground ivy(creeping charlie) is a perennial broadleaf weed that is very hard to control, it is often seen growing in the shade and invading turfgrass and landscape.
Ground ivy can produce aggressive rooting stolons, tolerate low mowing heights, and crowd out surrounding plants, these features make ground ivy one of the most difficult-to-kill weeds.
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The Best Thing To Kill Ground Ivy
Ivy knows no bounds: It grows quickly in all directions, both horizontally and vertically, clinging to other vegetation and depriving it of all sunlight.
To kill ground ivy, we suggest using a selective herbicide that contains dicamba such as 2 4-D Amine.
This product is a good economical option and effective against many different broadleaf weeds while leaving desired grass types unharmed.
Dicamba is a broad-spectrum herbicide that specifically targets broad-leaf invasive weeds, it is versatile and is usually formulated with other active herbicide ingredients like 2,4-D, MCPP, and MCPA.
How To Make Use Of 2 4-D Amine.
- Put on protective gear before mixing or spraying 2,4-D herbicide. Wear safety glasses, socks, chemical-resistant footwear, a long-sleeved shirt, and pants. Don a chemical-resistant apron when mixing the herbicide.
- Attach a flat fan nozzle tip to the herbicide spray tank. Set the pressure to 20 pounds per square inch. Start the tank’s agitator and keep it running throughout the mixing and application process.
- Fill the tank with 1/2 gallon of clean tap water. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of 2,4-D herbicide. Fill the tank with another 1/2 gallon of water.
- Add 1 tablespoon of a surfactant, such as liquid dish soap, to the mixture. The surfactant helps the 2,4-D herbicide stick to weeds.
- Apply the 2,4-D herbicide as a spot treatment by spraying it on individual weeds. Spray the tops and bottoms of ground ivy. Do not inhale the fumes from the spray, and avoid touching the herbicide with your bare skin.
- Avoid the treated area until the 2,4-D herbicide has dried completely. Keep animals away from the area as well.
- Dispose of the remainder of the herbicide at your local hazardous waste center. Clean the tank thoroughly after using the herbicide. Wash all protective clothing in a separate load of laundry.
Read Also: Top 10 Best Pre-Emergent Herbicides for Lawns
How To Get Rid Of Ground Ivy
Before you can carry out the method required for killing ground ivy, you need to first make sure you are dealing with ground ivy and not some other weed.
Misidentification can lead to employing the wrong elimination methods, which can be a waste of your time and money. Knowing what ground ivy looks like is crucial, so we shared some noteworthy traits below:
this plant can be easily identified by its rounded leaves with scalloped edges. Ground Ivy leaves will grow further away from the stem with petioles or leafstalks. These leaves can also grow to be 0.4 to 1.2 inches in length. Ground Ivy can sprout out small purple flowers on the plant.
When ground ivy grows vertically, the stem can be seen as square. The square stem is a common trait seen in the mint family of plants.
If crushed, ground ivy will release a fragrant scent. Ground Ivy is a vine that grows low to the ground and will create a matted carpet on a lawn under the right conditions.
How To Kill Ground Ivy
- Don appropriate protective gear for the project and choose a day with suitable weather.
- Detach the ivy from the surface on which it’s been growing.
- Dispose of the ivy with your household trash (i.e., do not compost ivy).
- Apply herbicide to the area to kill the remaining roots.
- Monitor the area (and repeat Steps 2 and 3 if necessary)
How To Kill Ground Ivy Naturally
While it is tempting to opt for powerful weed killers, there is a less toxic way to kill this climbing plant, which can cling to and damage masonry and fencing – and it may be hiding in your kitchen cabinet.
There’s a natural solution that won’t cause any damage which is the use of Apple vinegar.
This tip is entirely expert-approved – and couldn’t come at a better time for taming this invasive plant. it is important to be prepared before you try to get rid of ground ivy, ground Ivy will irritate the skin, even if mildly; poison ivy will, of course, inflict swollen skin, blisters, and often severe itching.
Therefore, we recommend you wear long sleeves, long trousers, boots, and rubber gardening gloves.
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Preparation Of Vinegar To Eliminate Ground Ivy:
Combine 1 gallon of white or apple cider vinegar, 1 oz. of liquid soap, and 1 tbsp. of salt in an empty bucket.
The combination of the acetic acid in the vinegar and the salt will dry up moisture and kill the ground ivy plant. Adding liquid soap enhances the effectiveness of the vinegar.
How To Apply vinegar On Ground Ivy
- Wait for a period of a few dry days, then spray the ivy leaves with a solution of apple cider vinegar, dish soap, and one tablespoon of salt.
- Allow the mix to do its work on the ivy for five days.
- Detach the dead ivy from the walls carefully, disposing of it into your garbage, not your compost.
- If you can’t dig out roots, kill them with herbicide or with a one-part white vinegar and four parts water solution.
- Return to the area regularly to check for new growth, and deal with it as above.
Finally, it is best to use a pruning saw and garden shears to remove the dead ivy safely. You can even use a decorator’s scraping tool to remove ivy that’s clinging strongly to masonry.
However, if you discover some leaves have survived, we recommend repeating the same process until all the ivy is dead.
