Woody weeds such as brambles, ivy and sycamore seedlings can be difficult to eradicate once they have become established. Hand pulling and digging young seedlings as soon as they are seen will save a lot of hard work later. A thick mulch of chipped bark or compost will also make it much easier to pull recently germinated seeds in the spring.
Cultural control
In light, workable soils, cut back the scrambling stems of ivy and brambles to around 30cm (12in) from ground level. Dig out the stump, taking the major roots away at the same time. It is important to remove as much of the below-ground parts as possible, as brambles have the ability to regenerate from well below soil level.
Chemical control
Where ivy and brambles grow as ground cover they root at many points along their stems. Ivy is not easily controlled by weedkiller sprays, partly due to the very glossy, moisture-resistant nature of its leaf surface. Here it is best to use a glyphosate-based weedkiller. Aerosol (Advanced Glyphosate Spot Weeder for Beds & Borders) and ready-to-use spray formulations are available for spot treatments.
Weeds that can be cut back to woody stumps should be treated with a proprietary stump and rootkiller (Roundup Tree Stump & Rootkiller or Deep Root Ultra Tree Stump).
SBK Brushwood Killer, containing triclopyr, can be used in meadow areas and should not seriously damage grass, but will affect other broadleaved plants.
William Denne