One home gardener recently took to the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit to share their triumph over a bunch of invasive English ivy. The only problem: That triumph may be short-lived, according to the other members of the subreddit.
"This felt like 6 hours but, in reality, was closer to 1.5 hours of work," the original poster wrote. "There's still a lot left to do but I'm already dreaming up what I'm going to put in to replace it. Any advice for removal or suggestions for replacements? The site is mostly shaded but gets a couple hours of afternoon sun."
Unfortunately, while the poster was dreaming about what to replace the English ivy with, several commenters noted that they may be putting the cart before the horse.
"I would give it more time before planting. It will be back. It is a pain in the butt when it grows at the base of another shrub. You can never get it out all the way after that. Better to wait till next spring to plant," wrote one commenter.
"The person who lived here before me planted it at the base of every blessed tree. I've been slowly trying to rip it up, but it's growing down a stream bank and all through the yard. It looks like it's been there for decades," another chimed in.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Invasive Species Information Center, English ivy (also known as Atlantic ivy and Irish ivy) was introduced to the United States in the 1870s and tends to outcompete native plants for resources, particularly sunlight, as it spreads and covers everything in its path — even including trees.
These properties have led some homeowners to declare that planting English ivy was their biggest mistake.
Whenever you embark on a gardening project, it's always a smart idea to do some research first and make sure that you are planting native species. Native species are already adapted to your local ecosystem, can live harmoniously with each other, and support pollinators, which in turn support the entire environment. Staying clear of invasive species can also save you a massive headache in the long run, as this English ivy remover can attest to.
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