How To Cut Back Ivy

[andydingdangdoo]

I have just moved to a new house which has a drive way over looking a paved garden, from the drive down to the garden is a 8 foot wall which is covered in ivy that looks great but is out of control. I would like to square it off on the top and also take some of the depth out of it as stands about a meter put from the wall and into the garden losing space. The problem with this would seem if I just start chopping away and the nice green leaves I will be left with the horrible brown sticks making up two thirds of it.

Any suggestions as to how I thin it out but still leave it looking nice and green instead of horrible old sticks

Thanks

[Old_Geezer]

I tend to trust it recovers fast enough in the growing season so I don't worry too much about chopping back more than looks good. That stated, it sounds like you have a larger ivy area than I.

[Prudie]

Ivy is a total and utter menace in my garden, I'm always hacking it back to brown sticks. Don't worry it will quickly recover and you should then be able to keep better control of it.

[FredPuli43]

Ivy is tough; it needs to be; and hacking it back at this time of year won't hurt it in the slightest. It will green up pretty quickly.

[Canary42]

I once had such a wall (I've stripped it completely now) and whenever I trimmed it back to the horrible spikes it recovered its green covering incredibly fast, especially in the Spring.

[boxtops]

Don't worry about it looking brown for a few weeks, it'll grow back like the clappers.

[Maydup]

Cut it back to the wood and i'll all green up again in no time.

[starone]

It is a survivor and if you cut it back in one place it will soon spread to another. It is a definite nuisance and once planted very difficult to get rid of. I had some in my previous garden and I swear it cast its roots right up the street. Makes me feel like the Daleks in Doctor Who - Exterminate, Exterminate!

[Chipchopper]

I have a similar situation with ivy, over-spilling from a wall, which need cutting back a couple of times a year to keep it in check.

What I do is wade in with some heavy duty garden gloves, secateurs in one hand, whilst pulling out the vines with the other.
Once you get started, you should find it wasn't so much of a chore after all.

Good luck
Chip