Ivy is generally a popular plant, known for its pleasant green hue and cultivated around the world in famous locales like Chicago's Wrigley Field. However, if you're considering planting it in your own yard, you may want to proceed with caution, as one Redditor was warned.
This topic became contentious on a Reddit thread titled "Ivy- yay or nay." The poster shared a photo of what they presumably had in mind, writing: "I've always loved the look of ivy because I feel in general, the more green the better. However, it also seems like quite a pain to deal with... Is it worth the trouble?"
While several commenters stuck up for the plant, the response was mostly negative.
"Nay nay nay," the top response read. "It does cover ground quickly, but it's super invasive and extremely hard to eradicate once it's established. I've been fighting it in our backyard, where some of the vines have gotten so big they have actual bark and are killing a couple of trees."
Additional feedback added that the plant encourages all kinds of notorious creatures to inhabit its leafy coverings, from mosquitoes and yellowjackets to rats, and grows so rapidly that any plants native to the lawn will be suffocated.
Even if you are willing to deal with all that potential damage, someone else may not be. One commenter who has had a favorable experience with ivy reminds prospective planters that "the minute we were to sell our house … it could be a problem for someone else not so keen on its maintenance."
Given all these likely obstacles to planting ivy successfully, how else can homeowners go about gardening? For many, installing a native plant lawn has been an easier, cost-effective approach.
Cost-effective and eco-friendly lawn plants abound, from clover to buffalo grass and much more. Since native plants require less water, no fertilizer or pesticides, and reduce rainwater runoff (among many other benefits), they save gardeners vast amounts of time and money.
Native lawns also play critical roles in their surrounding ecosystems, serving as pollinators for animals and birds as well as sources of food and shelter for local wildlife. Even a partial lawn replacement can allow homeowners to reap these benefits.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 Plus, if given the proper care, a native garden provides the same visual brilliance as any ivy can.
"Please, DO NOT plant it. Remove it," another commenter pleaded. "There are other natives that can fill in quickly with green - dwarf coyote brush, ceanothus, etc."
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