[Cob] Ivy on cob walls

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Hi Scott:

I haven't seen anybody growing ivy on a lime render and I was wondering what
the Ph of the wall would be? Wouldn't it be likely that lime render would
burn the leaves? Any body know if this is so?

I have some experience with brick walls and ivy. Ivy's hold fasts often do
break down brick mortar and can even break down the brick. I bought a house
that was covered with the stuff and after years of dealing with the bees,
wasps and other bugs that make their way through even closed windows, I
removed it. A few years later I replaced it with espaliered fruit trees.
However the trees benefited more than the wall. I believe any wall/greenery
relationship will tip into the greenery's favor. Not always a bad thing, but
it has been my experience that walls last longer when the greenery is kept
off them.

Cheers:
Michael Fitzgerald
Anthropologist/Woodcarver/Puppetmaker

(snip)
-Can anyone think of any possible problems if you lime rendered your walls
and then let ivy grow all the way up?
   (snip)
Scott