At first glance, English ivy growing up a tree looks lush and beautiful. This hardy ground cover seems almost impossible to get rid of. It will take over in no time. Even though it looks beautiful, it can cause some damage if it isn’t maintained and pruned. It grows like a weed so sometimes it seems impossible to keep it under control. Milam’s Tree Service would like to talk about the risks English Ivy poses to your trees.

How Does English Ivy Harm Your Trees?

Though right at first English ivy doesn’t kill your tree, over time it will. Gradually, English ivy will end up strangling the life out of your tree. It will slowly steal nutrients from your tree as well as water. Not only does it steal important nutrients away from your tree, but it will be so thick that it weighs quite a bit. It is hard for your tree to stand up to strong storms when it has ivy growing on it. When ivy is growing so thick around the trunk of your tree, it keeps moisture close to the tree and will accelerate tree rot as well.

Removing English Ivy from Your Trees

In order to remove English ivy from your tree, you first have to cut the vines away from the roots in the ground. It is important that you don’t try to pull the vines off of the tree. This will end up damaging your tree because the vines start to attach themselves to trees under the bark. Once you have completely cut the vines away from their roots, it will take about one year for the vines to completely die. As they die, they will naturally start to fall off the tree.

How to Keep English Ivy Off of Trees

English ivy is a very persistent plant. You have to be vigilant in order to keep it off your tree. You need to keep a ring about 2-3 feet clear of ivy around the base of your tree. It will continue to try and climb your tree because it naturally searches for ways to climb. It helps to put a thick layer of wood chips or thick leaf mulch in that 2-3 foot ring you just cleared. You want to leave the mulch about 3” away from the tree, but this will help you preserve the moisture in the soil. The mulch will also make it easier to spot any ivy trying to re-infest your tree.

Removing Dead or Dying Trees, Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup & Removal in McDonough, Jackson, Jonesboro, Fayetteville & Hampton as well as Fayette, Clayton & Henry Counties in Central Georgia

If you find that English ivy has damaged your tree to the point that it has killed it, it is important that you have the tree removed. If a tree is weakened or dead because of English ivy, it can be very hazardous. When a tree is no longer alive, it becomes a great risk to any nearby buildings. This is not a task you want to take on yourself. Without the proper equipment and training, removing a tree can become very dangerous. Milam’s Tree Service has the experience and training to remove any dying or dead trees on your property before they cause problems. Contact us for all your tree service needs!