Anson County Cooperative Extension April 23, 2010

^The ANSON BIZ-ZINE
WADESBORO, ANSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S.A.

English Ivy Control – Best Done in the Spring April 23, 2010
(April 13, 2010) -- Although English ivy is a popular ornamental ground cover, it can also be an invasive and aggressive weed of woody parks and landscapes. Woody evergreen plants like English ivy can be quite tolerant of common herbicides such as glyphosate due to the waxy cuticle on mature leaves. English ivy is most vulnerable to glyphosate in the spring, when plants have two to four new leaves. Later applications are much less effective. Late summer and fall applications are essentially ineffective. So, here is NC State’s horticulture department recommendation for control of English ivy: Glyphosate -- use any of the 41% or greater active ingredient formulations Mix two to three percent by volume with water Apply in the spring when plants have two to four new leaves, thorough coverage is essential but NOT to the point of run off Re-treat when re-growth appears (about six weeks later) Repeat next spring if needed. Will this recipe work for other evergreen vines like common periwinkle (vinca minor)? Recent research at NCSU has show otherwise. Vinca was best controlled with glyphosate applied in the fall but poorly controlled by spring applications. So, sometimes our “best guesses” turn out to be wrong and there is no substitute for actually doing the research to find the most effective treatments. Aimee Marshall Horticulture Agent

English Ivy Control – Best Done in the Spring
April 23, 2010

(April 13, 2010) -- Although English ivy is a popular ornamental ground cover, it can also be an invasive and aggressive weed of woody parks and landscapes. Woody evergreen plants like English ivy can be quite tolerant of common herbicides such as glyphosate due to the waxy cuticle on mature leaves.
English ivy is most vulnerable to glyphosate in the spring, when plants have two to four new leaves. Later applications are much less effective. Late summer and fall applications are essentially ineffective. So, here is NC State’s horticulture department recommendation for control of English ivy:

Glyphosate -- use any of the 41% or greater active ingredient formulations
Mix two to three percent by volume with water
Apply in the spring when plants have two to four new leaves, thorough coverage is essential but NOT to the point of run off
Re-treat when re-growth appears (about six weeks later)
Repeat next spring if needed.

Will this recipe work for other evergreen vines like common periwinkle (vinca minor)? Recent research at NCSU has show otherwise. Vinca was best controlled with glyphosate applied in the fall but poorly controlled by spring applications. So, sometimes our “best guesses” turn out to be wrong and there is no substitute for actually doing the research to find the most effective treatments.

Aimee Marshall
Horticulture Agent

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