Virginia Creeper

[Flyingscotsman]

Need to deal with a Virginia creeper on the gable end of a house which has got out of control. Whats the best way to kill this off?
I was thinking of boring a hole at an angle into the trunk and filling with Glyphosate...
When would be the best time to do this - now or early spring when the sap starts to rise ?

Thanks

 

[Bogweevil]

Creepers good insulates building in winter, cools it in summer, just get competent landscaper (not the usual twerp with a van) to trim it and then you can keep it in bounds with long handled trimmer and tripod ladder.

If you kill it you will be left with unsightly crap all over wall that will take ages to get off and your fuel bills will go up.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Cut the main branch at ground level now before it starts to draw water in spring ,,it will die back naturally ,,drill the stump and soak with neet roundup ,,ad more as its soaks in

 

[Boysground]

Have one on my house. We have to cut it right back every year or else it’s covering windows over. I’m ruthless with it and it’s not stopped growing yet. Biggest problem is it is expert at pulling ancient render off.

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[jaycee]

You'll miss it when it's gone. Can't you keep it under control as it sprouts in spring. Had one on our old farmhouse and after much pestering by the wife I killed it, the shame and guilt I felt next summer and autumn was un bearable, it had been on there over 70 years from my grandmothers hey days. The 'lad' who worked for us and myself used to call the seasons by it's dramatic changes in colour, the aphids it attracted and by turn the wasps who fed on them plus all the other life in it , sparrows wrens etc plus the bats . The way it used to shroud the windows and let the cats climb up to the upper windows. Better stop now or I'll be in tears.

 

[Boysground]

I do love the autumn colours ours produces

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[jaycee]

We also had a fig tree by the back door, that was as bad for overgrowing if left unpruned and it attracted wasps but the fruit in a good year was lovely, wives eh ?!>!

 

[Y Fan Wen]

The VC on the parents house died after about 30 years. Mum had planted it.
Replaced by a climbing hydrangea which is awful! When it got to the gutters I stripped it all off and now I take each years growth off back to the ground.

 

[snarling bee]

I killed the VC on my parents house accidentally with Simazine many years ago, or at least I think I did. I'm not sure what else would have done it. The house has lost its character now.

 

[Jellyfarm]

Grandmother planted clematis and wisteria to grow up walls of house. 50 years later and after too little pruning we had to remove completely and underpin. Big job but fortunately insurance paid. 1998 always remember as wife arrived home with 2nd child to a hole in the front of the house where bay window removed!
J