A gardener thought she had a steal when they purchased a baby English ivy for $4, but advice from users on Reddit caused her to immediately rethink her decision.
The gardener shared a picture of her new plant in the r/Gardening subreddit and added, "Any advice or care tips are welcome." After one Reddit user suggested, "I'll pay you $5 to destroy it now," the gardener knew she made a mistake.
"I am seriously regretting this purchase now," the gardener responded.
The gardener's regret stems from the fact that English ivy is an invasive species known for killing off other plants. An invasive species is any plant or animal placed in a foreign area that causes harm to the environment or human health.
English ivy clings to surfaces, so it is typically used by landscapers to decorate walls and fences or provide thick ground cover. However, it has the propensity to grow aggressively and can even destroy fully grown trees if given enough time.
In October, a Virginia homeowner shared their harrowing experience of removing English ivy from their property.
"Spent 66+ hours removing English ivy that had taken over 1/4 acre of my property," the homeowner wrote on Reddit. They also explained the tedious removal process, adding, "I hand-pulled every single bit of it. Ended up being 48 30-gallon yard waste bags of ivy."
The OP's case with her baby English ivy likely won't be as torturous, as she said in a comment that she "Will definitely not be growing it outdoors."
Commenters on Reddit were universal in their advice to get rid of the plant altogether, with a couple even suggesting that the gardener "burn it." One user warned that removing baby English ivy could take years to fully complete.
"Keep that baby in a container! I 'eradicated' it from my property [nine] years ago and I'm still digging up the odd piece rooted in here and there, at least [five] times a year," the commenter wrote. "It's a fun plant but not fun to pull... And pull, and pull…"
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