Growing Success Organics Ivy Killer

Growing Success Organics Ivy Killer is the only 'killer' that really gets rid of ivy. It does what it says it will do.

I am lodging a repeat order. Very pleased with the result as I dislike ivy with its deep root tentacles.

Growing Success Organics Ivy Killer was not worth the £5 as it didn't work.

I have used Growing Success Organics Ivy Killer to kill ivy invading from several neighbours' gardens. It has killed the plant on my side of the fence and left the neighbours alone.

I am trying to locate a supplier as I want some more!

Have now used Ivy killer on the very small ivy plants at least six times and for all the good it has done I may as well have used water, it had no effect whatsoever. I wouldn't recommend.

Growing Success Organics Ivy Killer -

The Holly without the Ivy

I must explain initially that I don't dislike Ivy. In its place it can be very attractive and I have several decorative varieties in containers around the garden. However, in the 'wild' state it can become very invasive especially if, like me, you have a neighbour who encourages it, training it up the house and all along the fence between the gardens. Luckily though, ours is not the house that it is climbing.

The problems it caused in the garden were a different matter. Every time some was removed from the fence on our side, it was met with a great deal of tutting and sighing from the other! The plants (on our side) were getting smothered and there seemed no solution. It is a very difficult plant to remove once it has taken a hold.

However, last year, on a visit to B & Q to check out strimmers as we needed a new one, I happened to notice a red spray bottle of IVY KILLER! Wow! I thought - wonder if it would work? So, at £4.98 I thought it would be well worth it to buy a bottle and see.

The bottle, as I said, is red - with a white spray top. The label shows a nice picture of ivy growing up a brick wall - very pretty as I'm sure my neighbour would agree. It's produced by a company called Growing Success Organics Limited.

The instructions are to shake well and spray directly onto the foliage until it is saturated. For preference this should be done on a dry, still day - obviously, if it is windy it won't just be the ivy that is saturated! (I don't know what effect this would have on people being down-wind as it contains Ammonium Sulphamate). Also it says that if it should rain within eight hours spraying should be repeated.

This product has a systemic action, killing the ivy both above and below the ground as the liquid is absorbed through the leaves and carried through the whole plant. It is also biodegradable breaking down into a nitrogenous fertiliser. Children and pets do NOT have to be kept away from treated areas - once they've dried as far as I'm concerned.

Now, as I have explained some of the technical stuff, I will go on to tell you what happened in MY garden. The spraying was easy enough - there WAS enough ivy to spray after all. Notice that I say WAS! Within about three to four days you could see where the spray had touched. The ivy was turning brown and wrinkly. After a couple of weeks it had all gone brown and died. What next? Would it take much effort to remove it from here? The answer to that is simply no. It wasn't too difficult to rake what was left of it from the garden even though it did have a firm hold previously.

The instructions state that it can safely go on the compost heap. Anyone who has suffered the dreaded ivy knows that this is risking a new crop however, no problems on that score. Has it grown back? No, a year on, all the treated area is still clear. Again, the instructions are that the said treated area can be replanted within three to four weeks. What was an ivy clad patch last year is now sporting a new crop of gladioli, freesias a hosta and healthier roses that a year ago were being choked.

Would I recommend this product to anyone with the same problem? Oh most definitely YES! In fact, I have a new bottle myself ready to treat the next patch. There IS one word of warning; this should not be sprayed on ivy that is growing on a tree that may be damaged or where it is entwining around other leaves as it could also kill the tree or other plant. Growing Success also produces IVY KILLER GEL specifically for this purpose and, although I have not used this product, I am planning on getting some myself.

I hope this will be of use - and I thank you for reading.