News
Managing Ivy on Hedges: Balancing Wildlife Benefits and Hedge Health
Ivy can benefit wildlife by providing nectar, berries, and shelter, but it can also negatively affect hedge health. Cutting ivy at the base is recommended to promote hedge growth while preserving wildlife value.
Ivy is valuable for overall biodiversity, offering late nectar for pollinators, berries for birds during lean times, and year-round shelter. Gardeners may want to manage ivy growth on hedges to ensure the health and density of the hedge itself. According to the Irish Examiner, ivy climbing through a mixed hedge can compete for light, potentially smothering deciduous plants. Cutting the ivy low, where it ascends into the plants, is recommended to improve hedge health. The upper part of the ivy can be left in place; once severed from the base, it will naturally die back.
Key Facts
- Ivy provides sustenance for pollinators and birds, as well as shelter throughout the year.
- Ivy climbing through hedges can block light and suppress deciduous plants.
- Cutting ivy at the base where it climbs into the hedge is advised.
- Severed ivy left in place will naturally wither and die.
- The goal is to balance the hedge's health with the ivy's ecological benefits.
- The recommendation aims to strengthen the hedge without eliminating the ivy's wildlife value.
Primary Source
Research Sources
- Irish Examiner — Garden Q&A: Should I cut back the ivy on my hedge?