Boston Ivy on brownstone?

Want to grow Boston Ivy up the side of our house to cover the brick which makes up one side of an alley facing a coop. The brick is well pointed, mortar appears in very good condition. The front of the house faces north and is mostly shaded by a large oak, so I expect the Boston Ivy to prefer the sunny brick wall but really who the F knows what will happen. Wondering what I’m in for if the plant decides it likes the brownstone front too? If it’s just on the corner that’ll be fine, but we’ll be in this house another 30 years so trying to gauge what I’m in for.

I have some experience as my office in queens has some very well established Boston Ivy was growing up an old brick wall on our warehouse. Not realizing that it was Boston Ivy and therefore less damaging to brick we cut it at the base and it died off. 3 years later the old dead roots are still there.

I appreciate all opinion’s but I am looking for advice specific to how Boston Ivy would affect the facde, not English Ivy.

adobera80

in General Discussion 4 years and 11 months ago

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adobera80 | 4 years and 11 months ago

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thanks. Lets see if there are other answers. I was thinking of dropping my contact info at the door of neighborhood folks that have it on the facade.

stevecym | 4 years and 11 months ago

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i am glad i read your post to the end to learn that boston ivy is less damaging to brick than the regular (englis) ivy we are used to. we had some ivy growing up the front of our house and it might have been boston ivy. i liked it. in spite of what i had been told, do not let ivy grow up the brick, i let it grow. then i got new neighbors and they immediately ripped it down on both sides of our property line leaving me to feel i had been negligent to let it grown in the first place.

i am not a mason (i hate working with the stuff) but i have been told not to let these things grow up the brick walls. i would also not let it grow up brownstone or mortar (repaired brownstone). with the brownstone or old mortar, i envision it getting a foothold and then moving in and allowing water in which will freeze in the winter, splaying the mortar.

i have heard that you can mount a trellis system to the wall to grow it on.

and i had what might have been boston ivy on another wall and when i pulled it off, it came right off – the roots were not as strong and as well attached as the english ivy so there might be something to what you are thinking. the roots on the english ivy are a beast of their own. i would research that.

let’s wait and see what others say – but i bet they don’t think it is a good idea.