caseys Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Hey all, Wondering if many people on here are good at a bit of gardening? I'm after some advice on sprucing up the garden of our house we're trying to sell. I've got three main tasks Rip up a chain link fence covered in ivy - Best way to destroy ivy and it's roots? Fill in a pond which is a hole with plastic sheeting and big rocks holding the border Side of the house there is a small patch of dirt full of weeds - it literally is in shade 90% of the daytime - what hardy plant could I grow? Currently I am going to take a petrol disc cutter to the chain link fence / fenceposts / ivy (I've been told ivy is pretty fire resistance). If I do this I'm probably going to video it for everyone's youtube amusement (I'm not sure they ever used a disc cutter in Ground Force?). Reading about the interwebs people either advise to use weedkiller twice to rid ivy or a good boron-containing concentrate? Or for some reason... diesel. The pond - best to pierce it and let it drain? it has no fish, just a few weeds in it and it's pretty stagnant. After that though best way to fill it in? Sand? Hardcore? Dirt? Just going to put some grass on it afterwards. Pics below to show what I'm having to spruce up. As you can see... a fair bit of ivy. Yes there's a fence under there. And yes, there is a pond at the back... http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4757734661_26ba08f1ee.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 I was hoping for a thread about Frank Sinatra's wife. Lots of holes in the pond liner to let it drain, then fill with hardcore, stones, and topsoil. I had a big ivy all over a fence, I just cut it at the roots and it died, and has not come back since. The roots are still there of course. Plants in shade....err, Ivy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony tt Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Set it on fire and put down concrete. Job done end of gardening. What a bad word that is G####NING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Just cut the ivy down to its source in the ground, and if you feel energetic dig out the roots. An hour and a half absolute tops. When I think back to some of the jobs I used to blanche at when we lived in the town with a smallish garden I have to laugh. Some of the things I have done here would have been beyond my wildest comprehension 10 years ago. Having a pal who is a farmer soon showed me its just down to attitude and patience. He strimmed 3 acres of woodland in two days with Stihl strimmer for me last week, to get rid of nettles that have been rampant this summer. I am not as fit as he is, but you just get your head down and keep going. I think a disc cutter is OTT for a bit of chain link though Rhododendron likes shade. Slow growing though. You could just use a generic weedkiller on it all, then when dead (a week to 10 days) rotovate it and re-seed it. Days job tops once it's dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest amy-v17 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 We had ivy growing up our house at uni, I just ripped it out the roots are still there but it didnt come back not sure if thats a permanent fix though lol. As for the shaded area there are loads of plants that will grow in the shade like camellias, hydrangeas and as chris mentioned rhododendron I'm sure you will be able to find something. When I was at school I used to work in a garden centre at the weekends all you need to do is go in and ask someone and they will be able to help you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersupra3 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Rhododendron must have acid soil to do well. Try some of these shrubs escallonia, viburnum, philadelphus. I own a small plant nursery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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