Gardeners struggling with ivy that keeps returning can kill it permanently using black plastic sheeting, a natural method that blocks sunlight and stops regrowth. The technique, known as solarisation, lets the sun scorch the ivy under plastic, according to home and garden blogger Tara Besore.
Ivy plants, often idealised in art and literature, can swiftly ascend walls, weave through garden edges, and overwhelm smaller plants if not managed. Merely trimming the plant once is often insufficient, as mature ivy can regenerate from rooted stems and any leftover growth.
Solarisation method explained
Tara Besore shared how she “got rid of thick and obnoxious English ivy for good” naturally with just some plastic. She pointed out that the method works on “even the thickest ivy”, doesn’t strain your back, and “doesn’t require chemicals”.
Explaining her experience, she said: “After spending a summer getting nowhere with brute force, I turned to the solarisation method. This involves letting the sun scorch the ivy under plastic.”
Experts at Piedmont Master Gardeners also recommended this method, claiming that a thick tarp or heavy plastic sheeting “can kill English ivy by blocking sunlight and depleting the energy stored in the roots”.
How to apply the plastic sheeting
The first step is to completely cover the ivy with thick, black plastic sheeting. It can be all one piece or several pieces layered so that plants cannot grow through. Under the plastic, the ivy is deprived of water and cooks in the heat, “permanently killing the ivy, the roots, and even the seeds” so it “can’t grow back”, according to Tara.
Next, stake down the plastic or hold it in place with something heavy so it doesn’t blow away. Every few months, peek under the plastic to check if the ivy is dead. Once all the greenery is gone and there’s nothing but dry, brittle, brown vines, it’s time to remove the dead ivy left behind.
Removing the dead ivy
After solarising, you can cut and pull the ivy with ease. Hack away at the vines and pile up the debris. There will most likely be a lot to remove. You can also try mowing over the vines to break them apart and make them easier to pull up.
If you have any ivy growing up your trees, cut the ivy vines all around the base of each tree and remove the roots below. The main drawback to this method is that it’s slow: it can take one to two years to “fully wipe out the ivy’s extensive root system”.
