English ivy can happily grow in gardens for many years before it causes problems, but it is recommended to keep it under control as much as possible.

This includes keeping it contained to one area of the garden, and observing how fast it grows towards any properties.

If it does begin to penetrate cracks or joints, it may result in structural issues so an expert has shared how to kill the plant.

Gena Lorainne, a gardening expert at Fantastic Services, explained how simply pulling the plant away from the wall isn’t enough, as it has extremely sticky roots.

1. Digging out the root

The pro explained: “The best way to remove ivy from a wall is to cut through the stem with a sharp saw and then dig out the root.

“Once the foliage has died, you can carefully remove the stuck-on stems with a wire brush. If it covers the ground, dig it up with a mattock or fork and dispose of it elsewhere.

“Alternatively, if the ground does not need to be planted, remove all the top growth, cover it with weed-control fabric, and add some mulch 10cm to 15cm deep.”

2. Weed killer

English ivy can also be sprayed with weed killer which contains glyphosate, according to Gena.

However, gardeners should be extremely careful when using this as it can kill any nearby plants.

The gardening pro added: “It will kill anything it touches. Spray lightly so the weed killer does not drop off the leaves, or, even better, crush and damage the leaves before spraying so they can absorb more weedkiller.”

If English ivy is killed using weed killer, it may take several applications so it is important to be patient and do this whilst the weather is dry.

3. White vinegar

There is also a natural option to use consisting of a homemade solution used by mixing two ingredients together.

Gena continued: “Pour 80 percent water and 20 percent vinegar into a container. Ensure that you don’t harm any other plants while spraying the ivy plants.

“Observe the results after a few days. Remove any dead ivy and reapply the same solution as needed.”

The acetic acid can help target and dry out the roots, making white vinegar an effective plant and weed killer.

Similar to weed killers, white vinegar and water should never be sprayed close to other plants as it will kill them.