Feels real good.
After being at my new place for more than six months, I finally had a chance to take care of some oak trees with Hedera helix growing all over them. The info over at TreeSteward.org were really helpful. Only a rake and a pair of clippers were needed. First you clip the ivy at the bottom of the trunk, letting the vines die on the tree. Then with a rake, you pull back all the greenery at least three feet from the trunk.
Now I need to decide what to put, if anything, in the opened up area. Would mulch be adequate? How far from the trunk and how deep? Should I worry about moisture? I’ve read that the area three inches from the root line should be left open and mulch should be used beyond that point.
I think with intermittent attention, I can manually keep the ivy under control. Besides, there’s a bright side to their growing so rampant in my yard –I have a ready supply of nitrogen.
AgarikaT 