Ivy

[ChipDoogle]

Have any of you guys been requested to remove Ivy, (ie. English Ivy) off of a entire trunk. The guy at metro arborist supplies recommended cutting the Ivy all the way around the trunk at the base and treating it with stuff to kill it, triclopyr. And to allow the rest to dry up and rot away. If I rip all the stuff off could it damage the tree, or bark? How long would it take the Ivy above where I cut to dry up and rot away, or does the stuff feed off the tree as well as its roots to the ground?

Here's some pics

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...iewPicture&friendID=420516551&albumId=1432771

 

[pdqdl]

That plan will work. Be sure to not overdo the chemical treatment. You could kill the tree, too. Treating at this time of year will be a problem; you will probably get limited results. It would be much more effective to return in the spring and treat what is beginning to grow back up the tree.

Your job will be worth more if you also pull down the vines from the ground level. Be sure you have plans to climb the tree or use a pole pruner to cut the vines that you can't pull out.

Leaving some vines still attached in the top of the tree is generally an acceptable practice, as that will be hidden by the canopy in the summer time.

 

[ChipDoogle]

That plan will work. Be sure to not overdo the chemical treatment. You could kill the tree, too. Treating at this time of year will be a problem; you will probably get limited results. It would be much more effective to return in the spring and treat what is beginning to grow back up the tree.

Your job will be worth more if you also pull down the vines from the ground level. Be sure you have plans to climb the tree or use a pole pruner to cut the vines that you can't pull out.

Leaving some vines still attached in the top of the tree is generally an acceptable practice, as that will be hidden by the canopy in the summer time.

Yeah I just read that temps should be above 50degrees F for effective treating, so I am going to advise the chemical treatment in spring.

Im also doing some pruning on the lower branches of the tree, so I will be up in the tree. What do you mean by the job will be worth more by pulling the vines down from the ground, he wants them cleared up to 30' or so. Do you have any idea if I get the vines severed from the roots how long it takes for the vines in the tree to die out?

 

[treemandan]

I have done complete de-vine jobs on big trees with a pair of Felco 2's. Its a good accomplishment. I don't think English ivy will hurt the bark if you pull it off. Its actually kinda fun and comes off pretty easily.

What you are desribing is going to look real ugly. I would tell the customer that maybe you should get up there and take it all off cause it will look worse dead than if it was alive.

 

[ChipDoogle]

I have done complete de-vine jobs on big trees with a pair of Felco 2's. Its a good accomplishment. I don't think English ivy will hurt the bark if you pull it off. Its actually kinda fun and comes off pretty easily.

What you are desribing is going to look real ugly. I would tell the customer that maybe you should get up there and take it all off cause it will look worse dead than if it was alive.

Thanks Dan, I didnt even think about snips DUH That would probably help alot. Now I just gotta bid it low enough to make a few bucks hopefully. I'm gonna bring my buddy, I figure two of us hanging outta of the tree that we could strip it down of all that stuff in a day.

 

[pdqdl]

... What do you mean by the job will be worth more by pulling the vines down from the ground, he wants them cleared up to 30' or so. Do you have any idea if I get the vines severed from the roots how long it takes for the vines in the tree to die out?

I did not know the scope of what you would be doing. I thought perhaps you might be cutting the roots, treating them, and then stopping. Obviously, doing the removal would increase the value of the job.

Sever the roots, the remaining vines in the tree are dead the moment the base is cut. The leaves will turn brown and remain attached to the vine for as much as one year. Expect about 5 years before the woody stems of the vine begin to fall off.

 

[ChipDoogle]

I did not know the scope of what you would be doing. I thought perhaps you might be cutting the roots, treating them, and then stopping. Obviously, doing the removal would increase the value of the job.

Sever the roots, the remaining vines in the tree are dead the moment the base is cut. The leaves will turn brown and remain attached to the vine for as much as one year. Expect about 5 years before the woody stems of the vine begin to fall off.

Thanks, That's what I was looking for. That way I can give options if they don't wanna pay for me to remove all the Ivy and let them know how long that stuff will stay on there. Should I use somthing like Tordon at the top of the roots going into the ground? And do you know if it works when it's in the 20's and 30's? Also should i use a small paint brush to apply it, from what I read on the bottle it is a lethal herbicide .

 

[treeseer]

from what I read on the bottle it is a lethal herbicide .

No spit. Best way to kill the roots is to pull them out of the ground; not hard if the ground is moist. Then mulch--which the tree badly needs anyway--and you can control the ivy after that with glyphosphate. use in spring when leaves are new.

re stripping, i took a full day with another guy to strip it out of a big beech. the back of the handsaw blade was used a lot, and yes hand snips are handy too. that oak bark is thick so damage is unlikely. best to start by cutting at bottom and pulling.

re pruning, best to do the whole tree clean dead dying crowded stuff rather than just whacking low branches, which makes the tree more top heavy and less safe.

if it was my tree i'd leave the ivy but that's just me.

 

[outofmytree]

No spit. Best way to kill the roots is to pull them out of the ground; not hard if the ground is moist. Then mulch--which the tree badly needs anyway--and you can control the ivy after that with glyphosphate. use in spring when leaves are new.

re stripping, i took a full day with another guy to strip it out of a big beech. the back of the handsaw blade was used a lot, and yes hand snips are handy too. that oak bark is thick so damage is unlikely. best to start by cutting at bottom and pulling.

re pruning, best to do the whole tree clean dead dying crowded stuff rather than just whacking low branches, which makes the tree more top heavy and less safe.

if it was my tree i'd leave the ivy but that's just me.

Guy I am a huge fan of your work but I have to disagree on a couple of points here.

1. Glyphosate has little or no effect on english ivy. Triclopyr does the job but it is nasty stuff. Full ppe and low wind speed especially when mixing it. Apply with a paint brush but watch out for splashes.

2. Ivy on a tree looks ghastly and does not do the tree any good at all. It increase the load on branches and is a direct competitor for light.

I have done a few ivy removals and if the bark is thick enough you will lose a few chunks but nothing too serious. We use hand secateurs and a special tool Guy will never have seen before. Its the spanner for your chainsaw. Just the right length for leverage. We also remove the roots with a trenching shovel or even a hand trowel. They come out pretty easily.

If you have the chance, cut the ivy away from the roots immediately and wait a week to remove the rest. I have only done this once before but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the ivy was to remove even after just a week.

One more tip. Remove the ivy from the bottom up and be patient. Gentle pressure will often result in several metres of stem coming away in one piece.