Getting rid of ivy!!

[john87]

5 hours ago, sime42 said:

It means cutting off the lowest branches all around the tree so as to visually "lift" the crown. (Increase the height of bare trunk before the crown starts).

Thank you!!

john..

[Stubby]

8 hours ago, CambridgeJC said:

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Heteroblasty--a+review.-a0259155098
 

Hedera helix changes from Juvenile leaf/shoots which spread and explore the ground and plant growth looking for suitable bushes and trees on which to climb. When found the ivy is signalled to climb and changed to the mature reproductive form with the bushy ivy that is seen in the canopy. This ability to mature and change is called heteroblasty. 
This link takes you to a very comprehensive review of this which is highly relevant to ivy. Worth a read when you have time. 

Swat I always thought ( and posted )

[CambridgeJC]

On 08/02/2022 at 10:03, Paul in the woods said:

As has been said, the ivy you're referring to is unlikely to be an invasive species, i.e. something introduced to this country that becomes a pest (such as Japanese knotweed). The ivy in you photos looks like common Hedera helix ssp. helix. (Ref: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/ivy/)

 

The first thing that occurred to me with your two recent photos was how little ivy there was on the other trees. I own a couple of pieces of woodland and it has far more ivy in it. I am also in a fairly windy area so each year several mature trees blow over, some have no or little ivy on them, some are covered. I could not conclude ivy is or isn't a problem.

 

I'm also a bee keeper and ivy is very important to my bees as it produces a late crop of nectar which enables them to over winter without me having to feed them. It's perhaps one of the only crops produced by the woodland round here.

 

I can understand people wanting to clear it to inspect trees or if you're growing timber trees etc. Which brings me to my main point in that the ivy will be down to whoever is managing the trees. I'd be more than a little annoyed if anyone started hacking back the ivy on my trees. Perhaps you should raise you concerns with the owner of the trees you're worried about?

 

As few more random observations. With regard to the differing shapes of the leaves. I know in my woodland the deer don't browse off the lower leaves. But when ivy falls from higher up the leaves are often eaten by the deer so I would assume they are less bitter/poisonous.

 

There are also several papers written about the possible effects of climate change on ivy growth. This would seem to be what you are after, a quick google should show them up.

Paul wondered why other trees showed no signs of ivy. I returned to check and discovered all other trees had had the ivy cut across about two foot above ground level so had died completely. Clear signs of deliberate control with decisions to retain at least this beautiful old specimen. See surroundings in attached image with old one in background. All others around had similar treatment with dead ivy left to rot away. A few others allowed to retain ivy. Plenty for animals without risk of overload. 

[CambridgeJC]

So we shall see how many trees are brought down by their ivy sails…remembering of course that ivy does not kill the trees…just the wind…

[TT Arb]

Yawn

 

[ABtrees]

2 hours ago, CambridgeJC said:

So we shall see how many trees are brought down by their ivy sails…remembering of course that ivy does not kill the trees…just the wind…

Well sadly here's an old one gone from last night - I would say definitely 'sail area' was a factor - but only a factor not the only cause of the tree (root) failing.   JC, I do agree that there's more of it (but in my opinion it's still just the 'pain in the arse' ivy it's always been).  I think maybe we just had a few good (ivy friendly) growth years (you call it climate change - if you must) where we had a succession of mild winters, wet springs and warm but not super hot summers.  For my part I hate the stuff - I will continue to cut / kill / remove as much of it as possible (manual only - no chemicals) but I promise you it's a losing battle.  I have excessive amounts of habitat (bugs, birds and bats which I all enjoy) and no matter how hard I try (to diminish the wretched stuff), I will not make the slightest difference to the local ecology - but if you are right the loss of these older trees certainly will !

[ABtrees]

And here's another candidate 100 yds further along.  

But someone help me out here (please), why is the tree on the left inundated and the right hand one (60m away) almost ivy free.  The have undisputedly provided what must be almost identical conditions for ivy growth - one smothered the other unaffected - any thoughts ?

[CambridgeJC]

9 minutes ago, ABtrees said:

And here's another candidate 100 yds further along.  

But someone help me out here (please), why is the tree on the left inundated and the right hand one (60m away) almost ivy free.  The have undisputedly provided what must be almost identical conditions for ivy growth - one smothered the other unaffected - any thoughts ?

This weekend is a perfect opportunity for all arborists to report the ratio of trees brought down as heavy with ivy or unaffected by ivy. Just an idea of workload for both types needing clearance after the storms. 
 Images and numbers for all fallen trees would start to provide evidence either caused by ivy or not. Then we have some data even if it rather an uncontrolled experiment. 
Anyone up for this? Ask a friend!!!?

[Doug Tait]

Since Arwen we've been doing storm damage work and I can't remember seeing much in the way of Ivy to be honest. It's windblown at a car park tomorrow where I know Ivy is rampant in the wood so we'll see. 

[CambridgeJC]

Question…with Eunice on the way, who would wander in a wood?

Answer…Edward Woodward would🤣🤣🤣