I've got a bit of a situation with my neighbor's ivy—it's grown into my garden through the fence, and since they own the fence, it seems like the ivy is holding it up. We asked them if they'd like to split the cost of a new fence, but they're not interested in that. Right now, I'm just trying to keep everything tidy on my side. I'm thinking of building my own fence in front of theirs, but I really want to deal with the ivy issue first. Is it possible to lay down a weed membrane to stop it, or find another way to keep it from coming through? It's really ruining my enjoyment of the garden!
3 Answers
It’s tough when ivy takes over! I actually think it’s nice for the birds, but if you want to keep your space tidy, consider trimming it a few times a year. Just keep it maintained enough that it doesn’t intrude too much. You don’t have to get rid of all of it; maybe just let some grow in wild areas for the wildlife!
You could try feeding the new ivy shoots back towards your neighbor’s yard, though it’s a bit tedious. Just keep cutting it back and it’ll eventually grow back there! It’s a temporary fix, but it might help keep things tidy a little longer until you figure out a more permanent solution.
Unfortunately, a weed membrane won’t work for this, and you can only trim the ivy on your side. If you do decide to build a new fence, just be aware that once your neighbor's fence falls down, the ivy will likely start climbing your new one too. A composite fence could be a great option since it doesn’t rot, even if ivy grows on it. You might also want to have a chat with them about removing the ivy if they ever do need to replace their fence.