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If you hit the trunk a bit it won't hurt it, just don't do it often.
At this time of year, you should be very careful not to damage the bark of the oak trees. An open wound could make them susceptible to oak wilt disease.
If your vines are anything like in your photo, you should have no problem cutting the vines. It will just take some time. For best results, I would recommend using loppers.
OP - think about the consequences of cutting down two healthy trees, and there are a lot of them to consider. Perhaps one of these will hit home and make the arduous task and time-consuming process of de-ivy-ing the trees the best choice.
- loss of habitat to wildlife from butterflies to birds to mammals
- dramatic change in sunlight which will affect surrounding trees, plants, and/or grass (and not necessarily in a positive way)
- depending on location near your house, a dramatic increase in energy consumption if the shade contributes to house cooling
- a change in the wind pattern that could affect other plantings and change home energy consumption (increase heating needs without the wind barrier)
- trees that are healthy and in the right place do affect property values in a positive way
- the huge gigantic enormous expense of having trees taken down and hauled away and having the stumps ground down
- repeating the above - have you gotten any quotes for this project? From experience I know that the removal of one tree can be more than $1,000.
- and more consequences if we think about it
The sample photo does show what you're up against, and I'd be overwhelmed, too, as well as concerned for the other trees being swallowed up. The fact that you care is fantastic.
It makes one wonder what people are thinking when they plant certain things without thinking ahead. Maybe the look of ivy hugging the base of a tree appears pretty, or ivy growing up a chimney looks softer than the hardness of brick. Sometimes these people just don't think ahead. More frustrating is that when they see their mistake, they don't fix it and let the ivy grow out of hand.
If I was in your shoes I'd be overwhelmed, too. If I felt de-ivy-ing the trees was just too much for me, I'd call a tree company. Every once in a while I have to do that to get the excess Spanish Moss out of our trees. Hiring professionals is an expense, but sometimes money worth paying.
Get some Bayer Brush Killer, paint it on the ends of the cut vines full strength.
I wouldn't use any type of herbicide--especially those that go down into the roots. It could affect the oak trees.
Everything above where the cuts are made is going to die, of course. The OP needs to just trim back any shoots that grow on the lower parts of the vines, and they will eventually die, too.
I wouldn't use any type of herbicide--especially those that go down into the roots. It could affect the oak trees.
Everything above where the cuts are made is going to die, of course. The OP needs to just trim back any shoots that grow on the lower parts of the vines, and they will eventually die, too.
I think the poster meant to put it on the ends of the vine that go UP into the tree canopy, not the ends that go back into the ground. Although since OP seems confused about what to do despite people all saying the same thing, it might be best to go ahead and be specific.
Since this seems to be causing you so much stress (and I don't blame you!) I think you should just hire someone to do it. Hire a professional, who will have the correct tools and the knowledge of how to cut the ivy so that it dies and does not affect the tree. That would be the simplest and easiest way for you to have this problem gone from your life. It shouldn't cost all that much.
Ok I have cut all the trunks connecting the ivy to the ground.Not only did I cut through them but I cut out a notch in each trunk down to the bark of the tree.Now I have to work on the smaller oak.So how long before the ivy begins to die?And it will die wont it?lol I hope the tree is ok too.I did damage the bark some , not all the way around but in a few places.Also the cut I made around the tree is at about shoulder level. Do I need to do the same thing again closer to the bottom of the tree or is the one cut enough?
Last edited by senecaman; 04-26-2016 at 08:02 AM..
I think the poster meant to put it on the ends of the vine that go UP into the tree canopy, not the ends that go back into the ground. Although since OP seems confused about what to do despite people all saying the same thing, it might be best to go ahead and be specific.
LOL I wish I could do that but the tree is at least 40 feet tall .Its a pretty old oak.
Ok I have cut all the trunks connecting the ivy to the ground.Not only did I cut through them but I cut out a notch in each trunk down to the bark of the tree.Now I have to work on the smaller oak.So how long before the ivy begins to die?And it will die wont it?lol I hope the tree is ok too.I did damage the bark some , not all the way around but in a few places.Also the cut I made around the tree is at about shoulder level. Do I need to do the same thing again closer to the bottom of the tree or is the one cut enough?
One cut should be enough to kill the vines. You may want to go back later and cut back to closer to ground level the shoulder height stumps.
It will be a couple weeks before you see the ivy start to brown off, it's working through the nutrients and water left in the vines.
It's not exactly a quick process, the warmer it is the faster it will happen.
You may want to put a Roundup type product on the cut ends going to the ground. The problem with doing that is that there is some evidence that some of those products can leach out of the ivy roots to the tree roots and cause issues. Those stumps will survive unless you do that or pull them at some point. If they start to put out new growth cut it off immediately. You don't want to have the same problem start again and cutting the new growth will eventually (as in a couple years eventually) kill the stumps.
If you just chipped the tree's outer layer of bark it should be ok.
Get some Bayer Brush Killer, paint it on the ends of the cut vines full strength.
I was going to add, after removing the vine, paint on enamel based fingernail polish on the cutting of ivy closest to ground...where the roots can feed it. That will kill the base ivy. It's much better than using a poison. As one Poster said, the oak will get residuals from a poison, and I'd opt out of that if possible. The enamel is painted and cuts off the ability to re-green, so works great.
The rest everyone has already added great advice.
As previously said, I sure hope you don't kill two oak trees over an invasive ivy. Take your time and 'get to the root' of the problem...the ivy, not the oaks.
Good luck OP. Down here, it's strangling fig (a ficus) crawling up our palms that we have to cut off. It digs right in, is a pain in the butt, but worth the time to get rid of it over the palms.
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