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Original poster

Neighbours planting Ivy on my fence

142 replies

NewNeighboursRequest · 26/07/2021 15:55

So I have these new neighbours just since about February. I own the fence between us as in my boundary to maintain and I put in this fence a few years ago to replace old fencing.

New neighbours have apparently planted Ivy to grow on the fence. It is growing through the slats and pushing them apart plus growing through the trellis at the top. One area has a rather vigorous and large vine pushing about a 5 cm gap between the slats. I don’t want the Ivy or other things growing through the slats. Would I be within my rights to spray the Ivy popping through the slats and in the trellis on top?

If so, what can I use to kill Ivy but not plants/shrubs on the ground below.

OP posts:
DoubleTweenQueen · 26/07/2021 18:17

The best thing would be to cut it close to the ground and wait a bit for the adhesion to loosen up a bit before pulling away from anything - easier and does less damage. Then it’s killing off at the roots.

LakieLady · 26/07/2021 18:20

@Whatamesssss

Please don't use weed killer, it is terrible for the environment and especially bees. It is much better to remove the roots and any that come back just pull up.

Just ask your neighbours to remove it.

We had ivy smothering our fence when we moved in, removed it all and the fence fell down. A few came back, but just pulled it out, but after 1 year, no more ivy.

I've been removing ivy for the 28 years I've lived in this house and the bloody stuff still comes back.

I'm going to try Roundup gel and if that doesn't work, it's the the ammonium thingy for the stuff.

I've now got wild clematis coming up through the beds because the moron next door won't deal with and it's all throught the hedge along the boundary (he's responsible for that side, if it was my side, the hedge would be gone).

Buccanarab · 26/07/2021 18:22

As with wasps, Godzilla eggs and Maggie Simpson there's only one solution.

Fire, and lots of it!

lastcall · 26/07/2021 18:23

Ivy is incredibly destructive to fences. I would be asking them to get it off your fence or telling them they'll be paying for a replacement fence. Document the conversation.

tara66 · 26/07/2021 18:23

Ivy is the kiss of death - you should never have allowed it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 26/07/2021 18:25

@PortMerrionCentre

We have Ivy growing up our neighbours fence - but we didn’t plant it, we haven’t trained it to do that. It’s not my responsibility to do anything about it; my neighbours are responsible for maintenance of that fence. If you want the Ivy removed, you will need to sort it out yourself
Your plants on your side of your neighbour’s fence are damaging the fence and it isn’t your responsibility. That’s not quite how this works. They aren’t allowed to remove plants or weeds on your land.
AntiWorkBrigade · 26/07/2021 18:25

Seems I’m in a minority here as I love ivy, but I do know it’s not on to plant it against someone else’s fence or wall. Shame as I look out onto a fence that is not mine that would benefit from some shade-loving greenery! Perhaps they’re unaware of the damage it can do. If so, they may be apologetic and helpful if you point it out to them.

Whinge · 26/07/2021 18:26

@tara66

Ivy is the kiss of death - you should never have allowed it.
Why do you assume the Op allowed it?
ComingToGetUBarbara · 26/07/2021 18:29

Does anyone know with that roundup gel if I were to use it on the woody ivy stump would it kill it?
I'm trying to get rid of some in our garden that previous owners put everywhere. The stump of one of the plants is as thick as a a small tree and seems to be underneath the border (and under the fence) so I can't get at it to dig it out. Our neighbours on the border hate it too and when we moved in they said they were so happy to see we were pulling it down!

peaches99 · 26/07/2021 18:36

TheFlis12345 many thanks. Off to order some and hope it gets rid of the massive brambles in my garden.

happycamper3 · 26/07/2021 18:36

@MzHz

You have to wake them to remove it

It will destroy your fence in a couple of years

We’ve had the same with our arsehole neighbours

Finally, after 2 years of legal shit about this and other shit they are trying to pull, we’ve won and they have to remove it in 4 weeks time with all the other crap they’ve grown against our house.

Please tell me how you did this, what is the process? Do you do it through the council or via lawyer? What is the legal process I'm having a nightmare with exactly this
Zombiemum1946 · 26/07/2021 18:36

For a couple of trees we cut down, we drilled into the stump and put concentrated weedkiller in. We also tried putting salt into the stump. Both worked.

godmum56 · 26/07/2021 18:40

Whatamesssss
"Please don't use weed killer, it is terrible for the environment and especially bees. It is much better to remove the roots and any that come back just pull up.

Just ask your neighbours to remove it."

Lakielady
We had ivy smothering our fence when we moved in, removed it all and the fence fell down. A few came back, but just pulled it out, but after 1 year, no more ivy.
I've been removing ivy for the 28 years I've lived in this house and the bloody stuff still comes back.

I'm going to try Roundup gel and if that doesn't work, it's the the ammonium thingy for the stuff.

I've now got wild clematis coming up through the beds because the moron next door won't deal with and it's all throught the hedge along the boundary (he's responsible for that side, if it was my side, the hedge would be gone).

Resolva does work (I use a spray as the gel is a faff) but the secret is to be patient. Give it one good treatment on a dry windless day and then WAIT. You need the resolva pro glyphosate one. Where it fails is when people start to cut the top growth off too soon wnich saves the roots and they just shoot again. You may have to wait two months for it to work and for the stuff to be stone dead but it WILL work. I really don't like using weed killer of any kind and I don't use any kind of insecticide, but if I couldn't control the nettles, brambles and ivy in my garden which is mostly given over to wildlife, then I would have to get workmen in and remove everything one and for all which would be even worse.

Babymamaroon · 26/07/2021 18:51

It is illegal to reach over and damage their plants so I wouldn't start that! You're in very hot water if you get caught.

They will know you've done it and may well reciprocate so as long as you're prepared to sacrifice your flowers by the border fence, that is the only reason to crack on.

You could ask them nicely to remove it from the fence or suggest they erect their own fence if they wish to grow it. Chances are they did not plant it and will happily oblige.

skodadoda · 26/07/2021 18:52

@SorryWoman

But ivy is nice to look at?
It also grows thick stems and is very invasive.
Conchitastrawberry · 26/07/2021 19:13

Oh Jesus ivy can go absolutely crazy. We have the exact same situation at the end of our garden. We got some industrial strength stuff and sprayed all the stuff coming through the fence. It’s also all grown into our shed. It pretty much kills what’s on our side. No idea what’s happening the other side though.

drpet49 · 26/07/2021 19:19

It will ruin your fence. Tell them to remove it ASAP.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 26/07/2021 19:26

What a scary thread.

People will poison the fuck out of everything just to keep their fences bare and orange.

Ivy is good for birds, butterflies, insects and purifies the air. It doesn't ruin the fence unless you start trying to pull it all off. A fence covered with ivy is pettier to look at and much healthier than the fuck tons of weed killer recommended here.

Utter madness.

DoubleTweenQueen · 26/07/2021 19:35

You can kill it topically. Lots of less invasive and damaging plants are good for wildlife.

Melroses · 26/07/2021 19:38

@Whatamesssss

Please don't use weed killer, it is terrible for the environment and especially bees. It is much better to remove the roots and any that come back just pull up.

Just ask your neighbours to remove it.

We had ivy smothering our fence when we moved in, removed it all and the fence fell down. A few came back, but just pulled it out, but after 1 year, no more ivy.

Ivy bees: 💛

www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/bees-and-wasps/ivy-bee

Neighbours planting Ivy on my fence
Kettletoaster · 26/07/2021 19:41

This sounds like my neighbour. I own the fence throughout the whole boundary (don’t ask how - complicated deeds). One of the neighbours has just let his garden go to wildlife. I spend ages yanking the stuff off my fence. I cut at the base and pull anything that is on my side, and I don’t care what it kills on the other side of the fence. Sadly even this brutal approach doesn’t kill the damn stuff…

Sn0tnose · 26/07/2021 19:44

How are you all getting overgrown ivy? I can’t keep mine alive! I’m fairly sure I could plant Japanese knotweed and it would be dead within six months.

Berkeys · 26/07/2021 19:44

I cannot believe people are still using glyphosphate?! What planet are you on?

jetty21 · 26/07/2021 19:46

For anyone who wants to kill ivy I used Gallup from Amazon on mine recently and it killed it. I was quite impressed with it, expected it would need a few goes but just the one did it.

TheFlis12345 · 26/07/2021 19:53

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

What a scary thread.

People will poison the fuck out of everything just to keep their fences bare and orange.

Ivy is good for birds, butterflies, insects and purifies the air. It doesn't ruin the fence unless you start trying to pull it all off. A fence covered with ivy is pettier to look at and much healthier than the fuck tons of weed killer recommended here.

Utter madness.

Of course it causes damage. It literally ate through the concrete posts in our garden!!
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