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04-05-2015, 07:52 PM
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719 posts, read 984,022 times
Reputation: 490
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The supporting vines are thick and encase the tree. The tree seems healthy but the vine has grown to the top of the tree into the canopy. Is there a way to keep this vine from destroying the tree eventually or is it too late and cut the tree down? As I said the tree seems healthy otherwise. Can you put poison on the roots and eventually kill the leaves on the vine further up? Also there are azaleas close to the tree. Will poison kill the azaleas too?
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04-05-2015, 07:57 PM
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Location: Home is Where You Park It
23,172 posts, read 12,324,957 times
Reputation: 14803
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Yes, the ivy can kill the tree.
Dunno whether it's too late for the tree, you'd need to get an arborist out.
Getting rid of the ivy is straightforward and if you're willing to do a modicum of work, no poison needed.
Just take the biggest pair of loppers you have, or even a reciprocating saw, and cut off all the ivy trunks about a foot up from the ground. The ivy in the tree will die, and you can just pull it off of the tree at your leisure.
You will also have to keep at any of it growing on the ground, which can be a JOB, but getting it out of the tree and keeping it out is doable.
Poison could kill your tree, even if applied by an expert.
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04-05-2015, 08:08 PM
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719 posts, read 984,022 times
Reputation: 490
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacqueg
Yes, the ivy can kill the tree.
Dunno whether it's too late for the tree, you'd need to get an arborist out.
Getting rid of the ivy is straightforward and if you're willing to do a modicum of work, no poison needed.
Just take the biggest pair of loppers you have, or even a reciprocating saw, and cut off all the ivy trunks about a foot up from the ground. The ivy in the tree will die, and you can just pull it off of the tree at your leisure.
You will also have to keep at any of it growing on the ground, which can be a JOB, but getting it out of the tree and keeping it out is doable.
Poison could kill your tree, even if applied by an expert.
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The supporting vines are very thick(almost woody and inches around) and encase the tree.Can I make some sort of circular cut around them with a saw?Will it hurt the tree if its cut into as some as the vines are cut? These thick vines have attached themselves firmly to the tree. |
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04-05-2015, 08:13 PM
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Location: On the Chesapeake
41,530 posts, read 54,114,136 times
Reputation: 55916
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Quote:
Originally Posted by senecaman
The supporting vines are very thick(almost woody and inches around) and encase the tree.Can I make some sort of circular cut around them with a saw?Will it hurt the tree if its cut into as some as the vines are cut? These thick vines have attached themselves firmly to the tree.
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A couple skins on the bark likely won't hurt the tree. You'll just have to take the time and do it. If the vines are as large as you say you may need a pruning saw:
Are you positive it's not poison ivy? |
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04-05-2015, 08:23 PM
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Location: Home is Where You Park It
23,172 posts, read 12,324,957 times
Reputation: 14803
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Quote:
Originally Posted by senecaman
The supporting vines are very thick(almost woody and inches around) and encase the tree.Can I make some sort of circular cut around them with a saw?Will it hurt the tree if its cut into as some as the vines are cut? These thick vines have attached themselves firmly to the tree.
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Yes, ivy has little "pads" which will adhere to the tree.
Knicking the tree's bark is not a problem, and actually, most oaks have a pretty thick bark, but avoid it as much as possible.
Cut the ivy trunks that are easy to get to first, then wait a few weeks, you'll see which of the ivy trunks have died. Pull those down as best you can, then work on a new batch of ivy trunks. Doing the job in stages is not a problem. The tree will look weird for a while, with all that dead and dying mass of ivy entangled in it, and the tree will likely lose leaves and smaller branches as you pull the ivy down, but don't lose faith, your tree will thank you for it!
If the larger ivy trunks are very firmly attached, you may need to cut through them higher up the tree, as well as about a foot off the ground, and leave the lower portion of the ivy trunk attached to the tree. That won't matter as long as the ivy trunk is really dead, and it might be preferable, because if the ivy trunks are that massive, pulling them down could strip the tree of some of its bark.
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04-05-2015, 08:37 PM
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719 posts, read 984,022 times
Reputation: 490
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Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person
A couple skins on the bark likely won't hurt the tree. You'll just have to take the time and do it. If the vines are as large as you say you may need a pruning saw:
Are you positive it's not poison ivy? |
The leaves on the vine look like this but has these think supporting vines.
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04-05-2015, 08:42 PM
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Location: On the Chesapeake
41,530 posts, read 54,114,136 times
Reputation: 55916
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Looks like a variety of English Ivy. Yes, get rid of it. If the vines are as thick as you say it's been growing on that tree for years.
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04-05-2015, 08:49 PM
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719 posts, read 984,022 times
Reputation: 490
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Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person
Looks like a variety of English Ivy. Yes, get rid of it. If the vines are as thick as you say it's been growing on that tree for years.
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So does this make sense? Sawing through the vines with a pruning saw then controlling new growth by smothering it on the ground with a couple of inches of mulch or wood chips? I was looking at some more images of ivy and I think you are right that its English Ivy. |
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04-05-2015, 08:51 PM
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Location: On the Chesapeake
41,530 posts, read 54,114,136 times
Reputation: 55916
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Quote:
Originally Posted by senecaman
So does this make sense? Sawing through the vines with a pruning saw then controlling new growth by smothering it on the ground with a couple of inches of mulch or wood chips?
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Yep, that's the plan. Ivy will spread under the mulch via runners. I'm finally getting mine under control (didn't have in trees, just as a ground cover). |
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04-05-2015, 08:56 PM
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719 posts, read 984,022 times
Reputation: 490
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Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person
Yep, that's the plan. Ivy will spread under the mulch via runners. I'm finally getting mine under control (didn't have in trees, just as a ground cover).
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So are you saying mulch will or wont help? What are you using to get it under control? Also is it best to stay away from poison altogether to control it on the ground? |
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