While ivy is often romanticised in paintings, literature and photos of picturesque English cottages, this determined climber has a talent for clinging to different surfaces.
It can quickly climb walls, creep through garden borders and smother smaller plants if left unchecked. Simply cutting back the plant once rarely stops it from returning, as established ivy can regrow from rooted stems and remaining growth left behind.
Want to tackle the problem without reaching for commercial weedkillers? White vinegar, available in supermarkets for about 35p, is a cheap method many gardeners like using to treat unwanted growth.
As reported by Mirror, gardening and landscaping expert John Clifford, from Westminster Stone, said: "One of the most well-known ways to naturally remove ivy is by using white vinegar. This will kill the ivy in a couple of days and is pretty simple in terms of how to create the mixture."
Why gardeners use vinegar as a natural weed treatment
The reason white vinegar is often used on unwanted ivy growth is that it contains acetic acid, an ingredient found in some contact weedkillers. RHS says contact weedkillers work by “killing the sections of plant where the spray droplets land”, and that soft stems and leaves sprayed with them can develop “a scorched appearance or brown spots”.
For ivy, this means white vinegar may help damage visible growth where it is applied, particularly softer leaves and stems. If the aim is to knock back top growth rather than remove the whole plant, this may be enough to make ivy easier to manage.
How to tackle ivy growth with white vinegar
One method for dealing with ivy growth is by making a homemade spray from water and white vinegar. This is done by mixing the solution at a “four-to-one ratio” in a spray bottle and applying it thoroughly to the ivy.
However, vinegar can damage nearby plants, so be careful with your aim. Coat the leaves and stems rather than drenching the surrounding ground, and avoid spraying close to wanted borders, lawns or shrubs. John also advises leaving the solution to work for “approximately five days” before checking the results.
How to stop ivy coming back
White vinegar may help damage visible ivy growth, but it shouldn’t be treated as a cure-all. The RHS warns that homemade solutions made from household products can “damage plants, soil and soil organisms” and “may also harm the wider environment”, so a careful hand is crucial.
For long-lasting control, the RHS also recommends non-chemical methods such as physically removing ivy by cutting stems “near to ground level”. Because ivy can put down roots as its stems creep and climb, removing as much rooted growth as possible and regularly cutting back regrowth is your best bet for keeping it under control.
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