Hello All, first post here!
I am a passionate gardener, but have lived in a flat for the last 20 years. I* have recently bought a house and have a largev overrun garden. I want to grow veg and I have a site partially prepared. I have eight raised bed kits ready to go. They are about ten inches deep.
Previously the ground was infested by a large bramble (as big as two apple trees) and underned this was an infestation of common ivy - the wild hedgerow type. I have dug out the bramble (it was like struggling with an alien monster) and I have removed the crown. The remainding roots are treated with glyphospate. I have given similar treatment to the ivy - glyphospate and then raking off the surface - which was an intertwined with a network of tangled stems. I intend to dig out as much root as I can muster but it wont be all of it as there are thousands of roots.
On top of this must go my raised beds - eight in all. Now here is my question.
I could line my beds with plastic sheeting and this would surely stop the ivy resurfacing, but I am ruluctant to do so as the deeper rooting crops would only have ten inches to play with. I would prefer to dig over the topsoil under the bed, then add some leafmould (which I have) and then some horsemanure (free from local riding stable, then a top dressing of compost.
Now ivy seems to be quite surface rooting, if I do this, will I find that it rises from the dead and makes it way into my riased beds, or, will it simply give up and go away? I dont mind so much if the ivy reappears between the beds as I shall pave this area anyways.
Whats Ivy like? Is it a persitant foe, or does it die if you keep cutting it back? How deep is its root structure?
Any advice is welcome.
Zero