Pruning Ground Cover Ivy

[figtree]

Hello everyone, What is the best way to prune ground cover ivy that is out of control? Also, would it be wise to prune it now or should wait til the spring. Thank you in advance.

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[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I wish I could see the area you want to do this on. I would think it be best to wait until early spring. Can you mow around the edges where you want to trim it back and use a hedge trimmer, either vertically or horizontally to remove sections it would be tough to get your mower into?

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[picframer]

Here is what I found, thankfully this is not something we are faced with however Ivy/Poision Ivy grows on the fringe of our service area, if it's present on a prospect's location we walk away.

http://www.ehow.com/how_15258_prune-ivy-ground.html

[The Cleaning Doctor]

I would us a weed burner.(to kill it all if you can) this stuff sucks.

[Hedgemaster]

Originally Posted by The Cleaning Doctor

I would us a weed burner.(to kill it all if you can) this stuff sucks.

The OP didn't mention poison ivy, but since you brought it up, be aware that burning can release the toxins in the smoke and if you breathe it , well... hello poison ivy in your airway/lungs.

(I had poison ivy for the first time this summer - "sucks" is putting it mildly)




As for ground cover ivy, I have a patch of it on my hillside next to the steps that come up from my driveway, and I cut it back a bit twice a year. I just cut a bunch of it last week - if the stuff is established, it's not going to hurt it to cut it now. I just use hand pruners and lift up a handful with one hand and snip with the other. I don't have more than a 5'x20' area to maintain, so that works fine for me.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Hedgemaster

The OP didn't mention poison ivy, but since you brought it up, be aware that burning can release the toxins in the smoke and if you breathe it , well... hello poison ivy in your airway/lungs.

(I had poison ivy for the first time this summer - "sucks" is putting it mildly)




As for ground cover ivy, I have a patch of it on my hillside next to the steps that come up from my driveway, and I cut it back a bit twice a year. I just cut a bunch of it last week - if the stuff is established, it's not going to hurt it to cut it now. I just use hand pruners and lift up a handful with one hand and snip with the other. I don't have more than a 5'x20' area to maintain, so that works fine for me.

I did read that some time ago, we have torches but for Insurance reasons we are not allowed to use them however we will loan them to the customer or if the customer hires a staff member on their time then...........

But you are right, I have friends that offer wood clearing and chipping in areas outside our zone that has Poison Ivy, Deer Ticks etc. It proves to be a real challenge for them.

[The Cleaning Doctor]

I didn't mention anything about poison ivy. The regular ivy is bad enough. Had to remove some one time and that was the last time. It sucked. Sorry it looked like I was responding to Andy.