Ivy removal

[rb_in_va]

What is the best way to remove ivy from a tree? Is there any certain procedure, or do you just rip it out any way you can? A friend at work has a large tree that she was considering having removed at her new house, but I said you might want to wait a year and see it when it's got leaves on it. The ivy is the main thing that irritates her so I said why not just remove that? Thanks in advance, Roger.

 

[MasterBlaster]

You just have to get in there and pull it out. I like using my handsaw and a screwdriver. It helps a whole lot if you can kill the vines a couple weeks(or longer) before you start.

Its no fun at all.

 

[rb_in_va]

How do you kill the vines? Thanks, Roger.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't know about chemicals/whatnot... I just cut em with my chainsaw.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

i usualy cut and clear
all the ivy of too about 5feet and let the rest die and drop off ...unless the customer has plenty of money then i will clear it all off and charge him our usual rate

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Most iveys, even heavy vined ones will fall aprt in a few years if you cut the stems out. Most of the literiture recomends not pulling it out of the trees because of risk of limb breakage.

As for the stumps, painting with a 20% mix of glyphosate no more then 20 min after cutting will give good root kill.

Just hitting the cut area of the stump is enough to get it translocated to the roots.

 

[ORclimber]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
You just have to get in there and pull it out. I like using my handsaw and a screwdriver. It helps a whole lot if you can kill the vines a couple weeks(or longer) before you start.

Its no fun at all.

Yep. I usually use a bar wrench. I find it easier to work from the top down. Although, sometimes if the vines aren't too big, long pulls can be made from the bottom. Some of our English ivy gets so woody it is easier to cut with a chainsaw.

 

[xander9727]

I've learned (the hard way) always try and take a little off before you bid it. The last ivy removal we did was horrible. The ivy was firmly attached to the tree along the entire length. Took small crowbars to get it off. One tree took two climbers 6 hours. I prefer to cut it at the base, paint the stumps with roundup or Garlon and wait a few months and pull off what is left.

 

[blue]

if you do have to remove ivy i agree with MB it's an awful job.i've done quite a few,they are time consuming and cost the customer alot because they are such a PITA.hard to clear up as the rubish comes down in such small lengths and nigh on impossible to chip.a good tip is try to get an anchor point in above the ivy and start at the top working down.concentrate on stripping each limb as you come yto it on the way down.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by blue
get an anchor point in above the ivy and start at the top working down.concentrate on stripping each limb as you come yto it on the way down.

Good tip. Last ivy removal job I did was on a big hackberry; took 13 climber-hours for the one tree.
Glad I bid it by the hour; could've really hurt otherwise.