topic Re: Ivy on brick homes in Garden

Ivy on brick homes

Happy In the South — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:05:50 GMT

Our home is a French Country style and I'd like to try growing ivy on our bricks in a patio area near our front door. It would remind me of homes in New Orleans. I'll check with our local nursery on varieties of evergreen ivy that will grow well here in Louisiana. If you have ivy growing on your home, I'd love to hear what you think - good or bad!

Re: Ivy on brick homes

jaxs mom — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:14:40 GMT

It looks nice but it can damage the bricks. Isn't most of the brick on homes in LA just facade? I know our house there was not brick construction and just a brick facade. I'd make sure to choose an ivy species that is less likely to causes damage. But all ivy is pretty invasive and tends to take over.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Penellope — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:19:41 GMT

Ivy is invasive and can be very destructive to a brick structure.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

athenian — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:25:49 GMT

Our neighbors had ivy growing up the side of their brick home. They had to have that side tuck-pointed because of the damage and the ivy was a bear to get off. How about yellow jasmine on a trellis?

Re: Ivy on brick homes

FastDogWalker2 — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:28:08 GMT

We had brick on our house here in VA and we were told to remove it (which was extremely difficult) because it is damaging to the brick. Where we live, it also harbors critters that you DO NOT want that close to your home! HTH

Re: Ivy on brick homes

gardenman — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:36:50 GMT

Will it harm the brick and mortar? To a large extent the answer is "it depends". Modern cement based mortars (those used after the 1930's) are very hard and unlikely to be damaged by the ivy. Likewise modern bricks are very hard and unlikely to be damaged by ivy. Older mortar and bricks are very risky to expose to ivy. The current condition of the wall is also important to note. Any cracks or weak points in the wall can/will be exploited by the ivy and could lead to future problems. Also bugs love ivy and will live in it which can be troublesome to some. It also provides a good climbing area for mice/rats/squirrels to try and find a way into your home. Some/many structures have had ivy growing on them for decades with no real issue while in some cases you'll find the ivy has done massive damage.

So, in short the answer is if you have a modern house with modern bricks and mortar that's in good shape now, you're probably safe putting ivy on it. If you're living in an older house with older bricks/mortar or damaged bricks/mortar, then you're probably better off not using it.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

millieshops — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:40:37 GMT

I love the look of ivy growing on homes, but I've lived now in 2 of those homes and I'd never, never, never willing plant ivy anywhere near another home I'm doing maintenance on.

First time I dealt with ivy removal it was because it grew under several pieces large pieces of slate adorning our fireplace chimney and actually lifted it so badly, we had to remove the slate. Never again were we ever able to get that chimney to accept the slate again nor did we love the new look we had to accept.

Now I rent an apartment in an old home that owners over the years have allowed to become covered with ivy. Every place people have tried to remove some of it, it has left "tracks" on the shingles. Those tracks are incredibly difficult to remove when you're standing on the ground let alone reaching from a ladder.

I assume there are places in a garden where ivy is perfectly appropriate, but, no, I'll never let it anywhere near a house I own.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Scooby Doo — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:43:17 GMT

I've had ivy on my house and I wouldn't have it again. It was on a front portion of the house when I moved in. It grew up the side of the house and started covering the upper windows. Birds got in it, spiders made webs. It was so dirty I took it down. The roots had attached to the brick and looked awful so I sanded them off. I had to put a chain on the root stump and pull it out with the truck because it kept growing back. I still have some ivy on the cedar fence in the back of the house. I spray it often with insecticide because spiders get in it. Snails also get in there. And, it grows over the fence, across the neighbors driveway and up the side of their garage. I will take that out also when I replace the fence.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Hooty — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 17:43:17 GMT

I have ivy growing on my brick wall outside my kitchen, the only problem is when some of it dies and you have to get all those brown leaves out and the thickness on the ground creeps me out and I have no idea what is hiding inside of it to step into it! I love ivy growing anywhere outside!

Re: Ivy on brick homes

MsLomo — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 18:24:05 GMT

I recommend skipping. Critter companies will tell you ivy on a wall is a "rodent highway," and it's damaging on top of it.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

JustJazzmom — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 19:47:54 GMT

Also you run the risk of the ivy if its on a chimney side possibly going and blocking off the chimney from releasing its CO and that could trap the CO inside your home.

Ivy can damage mortar. You may want to maybe use a clematis which is lighter and you can use thin trellises in front of your brick for it to climb up on.

Let the beauty of the brick show through by not putting vines on it.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Happy In the South — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 19:51:19 GMT

Great advice - I appreciate all of it! Our home is new, we built it 2 years ago, so old brick and mortar is not an issue. However, I never want to do something that could invite unwanted critters - spiders, bugs, mice, etc. or just be a hassle. Maybe a trellis somewhere is a better idea, if we decide to have ivy. Thanks so much, you might have saved us a lot of frustration!

Re: Ivy on brick homes

HiLo — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 19:55:30 GMT

Once I had ""ivy"" growing in back of my brick house...it was lovely but too much. When I went to thin it out (that I could reach) the next day I was covered with ""poison ivy"". I suppose I should be embarrassed to even post this! LOL!

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Puppy Lips — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 20:15:04 GMT

I agree with the others -- you may like the look but I think it will bring on problems that are a hassle to deal with. I love brick homes and hope to live in one again some day.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Krimpette — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 20:21:13 GMT

I agree about how invasive ivy is. There's no getting rid of the stuff!!!! I wanted it as ground cover years ago in my little front yard (I have a townhouse). Then I decided I'd had enough. I've had the yard professionally landscaped a couple of time since then and they still have to remove some ivy each time. And I could go out there right now and probably fine a trace of it.

A friend of mine had brick on the lower portion of his house and vinyl siding on the upper portion. He had to be diligent about cutting back the ivy because it wanted to grow under the siding.

Ivy looks pretty, but I'd never have it again.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Hooty — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 20:51:39 GMT

Well, I have a bug man that sprays outside, I do not have a chimney, and my next door neighbor has about 6 cats, that patrols the yards, there are lizards around though!

Re: Ivy on brick homes

RedTop — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 21:54:59 GMT

I love my brick home too much to do something like this that I'll regret deeply later. I only grow vines on trellises.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

Q4u — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 22:18:20 GMT

I've only had one experience with ivy and that was at my friend's house. She moved into a home that had an all ivy front yard.... it was in the bedding gardens, and around and up the trees. We gathered a work party and went to town removing it all.... O... M.... G! New and old Rat nests, all kinds of critters... we wore rubber knee high boots, decent gloves and covered our noses and mouths. It took forever and was one of the worst adventures I've ever had! I vowed then and there that ivy and I were never going to meet at MY HOUSE!

And for as long as she had that house... and no matter how well she sprayed to kill it and even eventually had grass put in the front... ivy would pop out....

Re: Ivy on brick homes

GCR18 — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 22:51:41 GMT

I wouldn't do it. On one side of my parents house, the cellar is above ground and the cement wall had ivy on it for a lot of years. What a nightmare trying to take it down. It was overgrown and was hard to remove. Grow it on a trellis and keep an eye that it doesn't attach to the house.

Re: Ivy on brick homes

ThinkOutsidetheBox — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 23:59:29 GMT

I love the way it looks, but I will never, ever willingly give ivy or other plants a toe-hold for growing on and into my home. Like others have said....critter highways, damage to the home, etc. I have seen all of that, and no thanks. I like the second or third poster's idea about jasmine on a trellis? That would be lovely and smell heavenly!