National Invasive Species Awareness Week is this February 24 - 28 . How can we go beyond awareness and start getting rid of invasive mintage ? I ’d suggest we start with the English Hedera helix growing on trees . Bang for the horse , it ’s the easiest incursive works to remove . It ’s not physically demanding – you just have to pay near aid .

There are two independent benefits to remove English ivy from Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . First , the vine are risky . English ivy vines make tree top - heavy and likely to break ; see the picture above of an Hedera helix - covered tree that bust off in an chicken feed tempest . The vines also pin down wet near to the barque , induce the barque to rot . Second , removing vines slacken the ivy ’s spread , because English ivy only blossom and ca-ca seeds ( see the pic at left ) when it ’s develop vertically .

The procedure really is dim-witted . Make two cuts to each and every vine develop up the tree diagram : first , 1 or 2 foot up the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and 2d , close to the base of the tree diagram . ( See picture at left-hand . ) The reason for making two cuts is to assure that the cut finish of the vine ca n’t reunify and continue turn . Use clipper or a proverb as needed . Be careful not to damage the barque . Then , throw forth the snub - out sections . That ’s it !

The only knavish part is to make absolutely sure that you ’ve cut all the vines . Ivy can hide in the furrows of the barque . If a vine is so deep in a furrow that you ca n’t issue it , do n’t damage the bark to get to it . Instead , follow the vine down to the stem of the tree and cut it there . And if a vine is too expectant to sever , slit into it with a saw or tomahawk and paint the gash with saturated herbicide as described below .

It ’s not necessary , or desirable , to displume down the vines spring up up the tree . rive off the vines can damage the bark and might commit down branches . This is forged for the tree , and for people on the ground ! The vines will dry out out and turn brown in a few calendar week and will blend in with the barque . In a twelvemonth or two they ’ll fall down on their own . This all takes a while because English ivy leave of absence have a waxy coating that holds body of water inside . So it will be slow . But you could be indisputable that English ivy needs to be connected to the priming coat to live . In other words , it ’s not anepiphytelike most orchids . If it seems like the ivy is claim an unreasonably long time to dry out , check again to make certain you ’ve cut all the vine .

A couple of refuge item : the sap of English English ivy can cause a rash like poison ivy . have on long pants , a long arm shirt , galosh or nitrile glove , and oculus tribute . English English ivy sap can make a rash even if you ’re “ resistant ” to poison common ivy . And speaking of poison Hedera helix , be on the spotter – leaves of three , let it be – because it can hide amongst English ivy vine . Note that toxicant ivy is aboriginal to Virginia , so it ’s up to you whether to absent any that you might come up .

The ivy will grow back , of course of instruction . To help keep it off the tree diagram , pull the vines out of the ground for a few feet around the base of the tree diagram and cut down again to make an Hedera helix - gratis geographical zone . The source of English ivy are fairly shallow , so this wo n’t be difficult . If the ground is moist , it ’ll be even soft .

If you ’re really ambitious , you could then remove the English ivy from a larger field . I described one method in aGarden Shed articlea few years ago . The canonic idea is to use a power shovel to cut the vine into strips ( see icon ) . Then , cut across the funnies at ground stage using hand clippers and pull the Hedera helix back towards you . turn backwards until the whole strip is cut free . It ’s dull going , but it ’s a very thorough method .

Judicious herbicide use can serve remove ivy from the ground . This might be want for very thick vine that ca n’t well be pull up . straightaway after cut a vine , dab a piddling saturated glyphosate or 2,4 - D on the cut end that ’s still embedded in the earth ( see picture ) . Use a cotton fiber swob or an applier bottle , i.e. a fictile bottle with a parasite over the opening . It ’s important to do this right after cutting the vine , or the stump will seal and wo n’t take up the herbicide . This method use little weed killer and has little opportunity of strike anything other than the Hedera helix you ’re trying to kill . When using herbicides , always follow the instructions on the recording label , and apply personal protective gear like cyanide or galosh gloves , long sleeve and pants , and eye protection .

References and further read

English Ivy and Winter Creeper ( PDF)Blue Ridge PRISM

Take Ivy off TreesTree Stewards of Arlington and Alexandria

All picture by the generator . CC BY - NC - SA 4.0