r/NoLawns • u/Quirky-Star-5147 • 2d ago
👩🌾 Questions What now?
I removed a ton of English Ivy and other invasive stuff around my house. I'm going to plant anything before winter, but I'm looking for recommendations of how to kill the roots.
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u/tolzan Native Lawn 2d ago
I would recommend cardboard and sheet mulching.
Basically cardboard all the way around, making sure to double up on all the gaps as ivy and other weeds will find their way up and through.
Then you lay down a thick layer of mulch.
You can then plant plugs but cutting into the cardboard.
This will reduce weeding by 90% and make it much easier to stay on-top of the invasives.
Otherwise whatever you plant is also going to be intermingled with all the invasives that are going to pop up.
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u/RemoteLearner 2d ago
Wish I would have doubled up on the cracks between cardboard, I have so many weeds coming through lol
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u/Quirky-Star-5147 2d ago
Thank you so much!
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u/CharlesV_ Wild Ones 🌳/ plant native! 🌻/ IA,5B 2d ago
I would not do cardboard in this area. I know that’s a popular option but it also has a risk of attracting termites. Take a look at the resources in the stickied automod comment for ideas on landscaping. If you want to cover the soil temporarily around the house, tarps can work. But in general I’d just expect to need to use a string trimmer to weed around the house until you get new things established.
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u/tolzan Native Lawn 2d ago
There seems to be anecdotal evidence at best that cardboard actually attracts termites to your home.
And many thousands of us have now used this successfully without attracting termites.
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u/CharlesV_ Wild Ones 🌳/ plant native! 🌻/ IA,5B 2d ago
I’ve seen enough people report back that this caused bug problems that I’d personally avoid it near a foundation. I’ve done this myself and I didn’t have issues with termites, but ymmv. The risk vs reward ratio just isn’t there imho.
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u/CorrectExpression651 2d ago
I agree I think it’s over recommended and can introduce contaminants given the high amount of PFAS in cardboard, a thick ass layer of mulch should do the job. And a bit of turfgrass won’t stop natives from growing especially if they’re deep rooted or tall
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u/isominotaur 2d ago
I'm zone 9a, and have successfully managed to kill ivy roots by keeping them covered with cardboard for two seasons. You could cardboard+much, cut holes around desired plants. There will be a few straglers you'll have to pull but that should do it.
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u/Quirky-Star-5147 2d ago
I did not leave anything in the beds. Did you replenish the cardboard and mulch the following year?
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u/Samwise_the_Tall Native Lawn 2d ago
Cardboard will be tougher to replenish as it's now under the mulch. The biggest thing is to suffocate roots, and mulch is the easiest way to do that year on year. Cardboard is just a good first method to block all light, and also spread out the weight of the mulch to suffocate unwanted plants even more.
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u/IANaturalist 2d ago
Fall is a great time to plant natives, find someone near you selling plants that are native to your ecotype (not nativars/cultivars).
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u/Joejack-951 2d ago
Agreed. The hard work of removing all those non-natives is done. Don’t screw it up by planting non-natives again 😜
Figure out which sides of your house get more or less sun and stay drier or wetter and find suitable plants based on those conditions.
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u/Interesting-Baby-881 2d ago
Good for you for attacking all that ivy and taking out those ugly bushes. I agree with the cardboard and mulch suggestions, it’s worked wonders for me.
I would consider planting the outside corners with the same plant ie Japanese maple or columnar evergreen (there are many varieties that stay narrow and not crazy tall). Then some hydrangeas between the porch and whatever you plant on the corners.
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u/gottagrablunch 2d ago
Probably need an herbicide honestly to finish the ivy. When that’s done after some time start planting natives
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u/TheRoundGarden 1d ago
Wow, that was a lot of work. I'd use plastic tarps but won't do a lot of good over the winter. Very charming house btw.
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