Ivy in a hedge

Bogweevil

Member
I reckon ivy only flourishes on trees and hedges that cannot out shade the stuff. Perhaps cut back hedge in dormant period, cut out ivy and brambles as best can, kill off any of that useless elder, insert strong saplings of hawthorn or blackthorn as required, feed hedge in March to boost abundant new growth, cut out ivy and rough stuff again, water new plants in summer, go easy on trimming for a few years to let new growth shade the ivy.

If overhanging trees the hedge won't flourish as much - better to leave the ivy as per below or replant/interplant with holly.

Or just put in a wire mesh fence hard to the hedge and let the ivy cover the fence and let the hedge go - I have some like that, especially where overhanging trees occur - bees, butterflies and birds are all over the ivy when flowering/fruiting. Ivy has a juvenile for with pointy leaves but matures into a handsome tree-like form with rounded leaves that flower and fruit freely even in shade. A hedge adorned with mature ivy is an asset.

Yet to find a herbicide that makes a difference to ivy, even if foliage bruised and abraded and herbicide diluted with paraffin or well spiked with wetter.
 
Ivy is a very valuable food source and for shelter for many animals during winter when most others plants are dormant, why people cut down ivy is beyond me...

Simple.

It’s a parasite. It kills trees directly by strangely and indirectly by wind damage.

It smothers hedges to the point where it’s the only living thing left.

I hate it for those reasons. When it strangles a tree I tend to cut All the chunky bits (you can see the tree visibly shudder as the pressure is released!) but leave some of the smaller ones so it’s stays green.

I get it’s good for wildlife but not to the detriment of its host
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
Simple.

It’s a parasite. It kills trees directly by strangely and indirectly by wind damage.

It smothers hedges to the point where it’s the only living thing left.

I hate it for those reasons. When it strangles a tree I tend to cut All the chunky bits (you can see the tree visibly shudder as the pressure is released!) but leave some of the smaller ones so it’s stays green.

I get it’s good for wildlife but not to the detriment of its host
Lots of humans are parasites. Pity we can't destroy them.
 
It's not a parasite it only uses thees for support.

A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.

id say that's pretty close. It competes with light and water whilst restricting water flow Up and down the trunk. It eventually causes premature death

If the trees and hedges were not there the ivy would not survive, or do anywhere near as well

Lots of humans are parasites. Pity we can't destroy them.

Cant disagree there!
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.

id say that's pretty close. It competes with light and water whilst restricting water flow Up and down the trunk. It eventually causes premature death

If the trees and hedges were not there the ivy would not survive, or do anywhere near as well



Cant disagree there!
I remember reading something, where the quantity of wood harvested from woods with and without ivy was compared, and there was no difference, I can't remember where I read it.
 

Generally01

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
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Ivy is a very valuable food source and for shelter for many animals during winter when most others plants are dormant, why people cut down ivy is beyond me...
It is a very valuable plant if managed properly, killing it is not a good idea at all but keeping it in check is good for it, u, and any animals/birds that thrive in the shelter it provides.
I would advise the purchase of one or more small goat/sheep/cow, and then get a small portable fence setup and run them thru quickly everytime it looks like it may be getting out of control. any of those animals love ivy and will actually thrive on it. if you are afraid of the animals gobbling your bushes (hedges as u call em) run the animals thru the bushes/hedges at time when the bushes are dormant and ivy is still green
 
It is a very valuable plant if managed properly, killing it is not a good idea at all but keeping it in check is good for it, u, and any animals/birds that thrive in the shelter it provides.
I would advise the purchase of one or more small goat/sheep/cow, and then get a small portable fence setup and run them thru quickly everytime it looks like it may be getting out of control. any of those animals love ivy and will actually thrive on it. if you are afraid of the animals gobbling your bushes (hedges as u call em) run the animals thru the bushes/hedges at time when the bushes are dormant and ivy is still green

all well and good in your hobby garden.

Scale it up to farm level, with several miles of hedges and your suggestion isn’t quite so sensible 🙄

A goat would get stuck in most of mine anyway, no room to crawl through let alone letting some recently purchased ivy eaters Roam free who would need checking daily, water etc.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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