Killing weeds in lawn hurt tomatoes and veggie garden?

[tonyfirstyear79]

I have a question concerning my lawn, weeds, and my tomato plants/vegetable garden. I am having a serious problem with ground ivy taking over my lawn and flower gardens etc. Can anyone suggest a product that will effectively kill these weeds and wont hurt my grass and (more importantly to me) my tomato plants and other veggie plants? My garden is on the far right of my property. I maybe in the wrong forum but I figured Id receive an answer from someone who loves their tomato plants and had the same problem. Id be forever grateful. I am in my first year of owning a house, gardening and lawn care. thanks

[opabinia51]

I'm sorry to say that there is no poison that will kill Ivy and not harm you and your vegetables. Herbicides are herbicides and they are broad based poisons. Herbicides don't just kill plants though, they also kill the microflora that live both on the leaves/stems of plants, in the soil and elsewhere in your garden and so on. They really cause a lot more problems than they solve. They also kill invertebrate animals that are a great help in the garden. This includes worms, beetles, springtails, bugs and so on.

The way to rid yourself of Ivy is to use a shovel and dig up the plants including as much of the root matter that you can find.

To have vibrant, healthy tomatoe plants and a nice green lawn work mulched leaves with manure/used cofee grounds into your soil each fall. This is known as sheet composting. Also, take your grass clippings and put them into your beds as well.

Now, I don't mean to sheet compost over your lawn, do all the beds that are beside your lawn. Sifted composted can loosely be applied over your lawn.

Anyway, if you mulch your beds as decribed above the lawn beside your beds will be greener and grow much more vigorously. You will be amazed.

[greg draiss]

I disagree with the writer from BC. you cannot dig up ground ivy it is an impossible task. For heavy infestations use glyphospahte. It will kill everything it is sprayed on and you can re seed in 10-14 days. Herbicides do not kill the soil.

Although it is better to treat the soil instead of the plant there are times when heavy artillery is necessary to rid the garden of pests.

[cynthia_h]

I strongly disagree. Tomatoes are an edible plant. RoundUp (active ingredient, glyphosate) is NOT recommended for use on edibles!!!

Use a sharp-edged square shovel to make a Line of Demarcation between the grass and the tomatoes. Dig Out the ivy. I've dug out (and screened) Bermuda grass; I've also fought the Ivy Wars. You may need to sacrifice some of the grass this year. Do it. Ivy is forever; grass is an annual. (At least, as most Americans use it in lawns.)

I cannot understand why a Helpful Gardener would suggest poisoning your tomato plants.

Confusedly,

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[Digthedirt]

Cynthia gave the same advice I had in mind. Demarcation.

Use a sharp-edged square shovel to make a Line of Demarcation between the grass and the tomatoes. Dig Out the ivy. I've dug out (and screened) Bermuda grass; I've also fought the Ivy Wars. You may need to sacrifice some of the grass this year. Do it. Ivy is forever; grass is an annual. (At least, as most Americans use it in lawns.)

I have the same fight with Bind Weed over the entire garden. I tried the black weed barrier and to my dismay, Bind Weed flourished beneath it. So far I just hoe and pull. It's hard work, but I intend to win.
I refuse to use anything on my garden that kills weeds. If it's bad for weeds, it cannot be good for veggies.

[Jess]

I have won the battle with ivy by pulling. It takes time, persistence and a lot of nice rain to make it easier to pull. Very satisfying when you get a long run of root out.
As to bindweed try this...
Stick a cane in where it grows so it will grow up the cane and not a plant. When it reaches the top slide it off the cane.
Fill a glass jar with vinegar and stuff the bindweed inside.
Lay the glass jar at a jaunty angle so that little rain can get in but vinegar won't tip out. You can also pour neat vinegar at the base of the weed as long as it is not too close to plants you want to keep.

[Digthedirt]

Jess, thanks for the tip. Here is a problem. Our garden is about 150 feet by about 10 to 12 feet. The Bind Weed grows almost the entire length of it. Maybe I will try that method in one area.

[applestar]

Tony, I have ground ivy in my grass too, but I like it. I love the fragrance of crushed ground ivy when I walk on it, I love the dainty little purple flowers that are almost the first flower of spring and the last in autumn. The bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects really appreciate the nectar. The crushed leaves work great rubbed onto fresh mosquito bites.

I just keep mowing it along with the grass (love that smell! ) When my hubby mows, his mulching mower just mulches the lawn, when I mow with my little reel mower, I let the clippings dry out and use them as mulch or toss them in the compost pile. The ground ivy is tough and doesn't mind heavy foot traffic.

They are most prolific in the shady/moist area. I hardly see any in the sunny/dry area. I keep them out of flower beds the same way as grass -- cutting with an edger/hand trimming or weed whacking (dh's method ). I know it's considered invasive, but it's one plant I'm reluctant to eliminate....

[Jess]

Jess, thanks for the tip. Here is a problem. Our garden is about 150 feet by about 10 to 12 feet. The Bind Weed grows almost the entire length of it. Maybe I will try that method in one area.

Oh dear, that will take a lot of canes and a lot of vinegar!

Yes, just use this method where necessary. My FIL did this for his vege patch. Took a couple of years but it is now clear.

Getting back to the question. We are talking Glechoma hederacea here aren't we?

[cynthia_h]

I'm assuming Hedera helix "English Ivy," which becomes invasive and woody relatively quickly (one, maybe two, seasons).

Sunset says it well: "Ivy is appreciated by some gardeners for its ability to cover quickly, reviled by others for its invasive tendencies."

And H. helix is what I struggled with for 15 years.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[applestar]

I see about common name confusion... I'm talking about Glechoma hederacea. I still say given a choice between lawn grass and Glechoma hederacea, I'll take Glechoma hederacea... and I'm still waiting for the knuckle-rapping.

I haven't had the occasion to try to eliminate it completely, but so far, I'm finding that ground ivy will weaken the grass and it's easier to pull up out of wet ground than sod.

I have white clover competing with grass in sunny dry areas and white yarrow growing in packed clay/parched areas.

Is there ANY non-invasive alternative to Glechoma hederacea that has all the qualities -- yes, qualities -- I listed above?

[Jess]

Yes. Prime example of how common names can mean different things to different people.
Makes no difference. I have pulled both out of lawns and beds. They are equally tenacious but of the two I would prefer to keep the Glechoma. As you say applestar, the insects get some benefit from the flowers they produce.
Clover is a wonderful thing to have in the lawn. I sit and tweak bits out if I am sitting on my lawn but I just make a half hearted attempt to control it. The bees love it and anything that helps them at the minute has to be good. It is of benefit to the grass as it fixes nitrogen in the soil and it looks so pretty when it is out, like snow.
https://uktv.co.uk/gardens/item/aid/730

[tonyfirstyear79]

Wow, thanks for all the tips. The ground Ivy I am referring to(and struggling with) is Glechoma hederacea and man is it taking over! Like applestar said and I agree; it does have some good aspects about it but over all I think Id rather have grass. I am (somewhat) successful in controlling it in the gardens by just pulling but as for the far larger lawn area....I think I am just going to let it do it's thing this year then next spring use a product to kill everything and start over fresh. As I said this is my first year in this house so the flower gardens are not mine as in I didnt plant them. There are some things I'd like to try saving though; can I use a line of Demarcation around shrubs etc?
The main problem was I had started my vegetable garden before I realized this HUGE problem so I don't want to risk a herbicide now. I think I'll pull as much as possible but if it persists I'll use a product next year. Does anyone know how early in the season (next year) I can put down a weed killer as I'd like to start my vegetable garden on time as well as kill and re-seed the lawn.
My property maybe 40% shaded most of the day and is all clay soil so drainage is an issue some times, so the Ivy loves it but my veggies are in a raised bed. If I were to use a weed killer this year should a use a granulate or a liquid? If I am being unclear about anything please let me know as I can use all the advise I can get! And thanks for all the info so far! I must say this forum is filled with great people and is just fantastic!
Thank you!