Gardener kills off dangerous plant growth using painstaking method: 'Awesome job'

You do not have to live in the countryside to help biodiversity thrive.

A suburban gardener from New York City, TikToker Joseph (@planterjoey), shared their technique to remove an invasive plant species that you have most likely run into a few times.

English ivy is labor-intensive to eradicate and can overrun a large part of your garden if left unchecked, including trees.

@planterjoey Removing #englishivy from a backyard tree! #gardening ♬ original sound - Joseph

As the California Department of Fish and Wildlife explained, this woody vine, which is originally from Europe, was extensively planted for its ability to grow in most conditions, to the point that it rapidly began to outcompete both the understories and trees. Meanwhile, its leaves and fruit are toxic to humans and livestock.

In this case, the creator could have chosen to cut down the affected tree, but instead, they hoped to save and keep it because "it's providing so much habitat for the local wildlife [that] we don't want that taken away."

After grabbing an electric saw, thick gloves, and safety glasses, they were ready to get to work.

In the meantime, trading your lush carpet of grass for a natural lawn and rewilding your yard with native plant species is one of the best ways to help prevent the spread of invasive plants like ivy.

You will save money and time on maintenance, as well as create a healthier ecosystem for biodiversity, starting with insects like bumblebees, butterflies, and beetles. 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, animal pollinators are responsible for three-fourths of the world's flowering plants and roughly 35% of global food crops.

"Awesome job," one TikToker wrote.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely 💯 It depends on the species 🤔 I don't know 🤷 No — leave nature alone 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Glad you are trying to save the tree and not just cut it down as many people would," another user said.

Others, however, expressed reservations and advised Joseph to use an herbicide — which is best to avoid whenever possible because of its highly toxic nature.

"Herbicides are often used as a last resort, when other attempts have failed, and action is imperative," Invasive.org explains in its guidelines for herbicide use. If absolutely needed, like to control an ecologically damaging invasive species, taking precautions can help limit their potential for harm.

"I've done this a few times. You're not gonna agree but after cutting the vines I use a bit of herbicide on the ivy leaves to kill the roots," one explained.

"You need to treat the vine stump with a herbicide to stop it [from] growing back," another added.

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