Homeowner shares satisfying before-and-after pictures after freeing tree from suffocating nuisance: 'Like we're fighting off the zombie apocalypse'

Invasive plants can often appear out of nowhere and grow at an unbelievable pace. That's why these snapshots that one homeowner took on their property, documenting the before-and-after of their removal, are inspirational to all who face managing invasive plants.

"I know invasive vines hate to see me coming," the OP wrote in the subreddit community r/NativePlantGardening.

The homeowner explained that their home came with two beautiful black oak trees; however, the invasive English ivy did, too. On the day of the post, the homeowner began the process of removing the invasive plants using garden shears, clearly resulting in tremendous success.

Before-and-after photos revealed the completely bare trunks of the trees following the removal of the highly invasive plants. In their removal, the homeowner has paved the way for a flourishing ecosystem where their black oak trees can thrive.

Other homeowners noted that English ivy is notorious for ruining their gardens.

"It's the number one invasive on my property," one commenter explained. "I hate it. And it's still sold at Home Depot."

English ivy throughout the United States is classified as a highly invasive plant. The way it grows takes nutrients and space from native plants, leaving biodiversity by the wayside.

Removing plants such as these has cost the U.S. billions of dollars annually, with one study published in Science of the Total Environment revealing that between 1960 and 2020, the U.S. had spent $4.52 trillion on invasive plant removal. The economic detriment is substantial; luckily, there is a simple fix that more homeowners are embracing: ditching all plants that are not native plants for your lawn.

Rewilding one's yard enables the cultivation of native plants that can rebalance the ecosystem. It also means drastically reducing your yard maintenance bill, as native gardens do not require as much water, pesticides, and general labor. Once planted, these gardens are resilient and usually flow with the seasons, so come spring and summer, there's little yard work to be done.

It's been estimated that homeowners can save up to $225 per year on water alone from switching to a natural yard. They can also save a further $100 on fertilizer and pesticides.

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.

Redditors were excited to see the homeowner taking action on their yard.

"Removing English ivy is such a mix of repulsion and satisfaction," one wrote. "It's like we're fighting off the zombie apocalypse."

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