The presence of invasive plant species can certainly be an unwelcome sight for any backyard landscaper. However, getting rid of some plant species might not be as hard as you would expect. 

For one homeowner, the discovery of decades-old ivy left them stumped on how to approach the cleanup. They took to r/gardening in search of advice on the easiest method to rid their yard of the annoying growth.

The homeowner completed the first phase of a backyard project by clearing six-foot-high bushes from the area. Despite their achievement, they were left with a ground filled with vines. 

"How to get 20 years of ivy from the ground?" the Redditor asked. 

Luckily for them, a number of gardeners offered suggestions. 

"They connect at nodes. It'll be easy to identify them once you start pulling. If you can get those nodes out, they don't grow back," one commenter explained. 

This piece of advice was verified by many others in the community.

"Yes, this. It doesn't take nearly as long as you'd think, and it's satisfying labor," a second user noted. 

A third commenter added: "There's a ton of vitriol surrounding ivy, but those loud people haven't tackled truly noxious weeds. It pulls up easily, it hasn't got thorns, it's not going to give you a rash or contaminate your tools." 

Once you remove invasive plant species from your backyard, you can prevent further intrusions by planting native ground cover. These low-maintenance plants can keep invasive species at bay by creating dense cover that can block sunlight from reaching harmful plants.

Native ground cover also encourages optimum soil health and even supports local wildlife such as critical pollinators. Each can help make your landscaping duties much easier by saving you time and money as it relates to watering and fertilizing.

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