Stop Ivy from Growing on Trees

 

Ivy is a vigorous growing vine that will grow on anything, fences, walls, and tree trunks.  At first, you may think it looks nice and you will enjoy viewing the wildlife that takes shelter amongst the ivy. But soon you will learn that ivy is killing your trees.

 

A few years ago I planted six Baltic Ivy and when it grew on my rock wall I thought it looked pretty.  I also like how the ivy seemed to hold the rocks in place.  The ivy on the wall was manageable but when it started to grow up our oak tree we were concerned. 

 

My husband removed the vines by hand, then he used a hand pruner to cut the Ivy stems at the soil line.  He then dug up the roots and pulled them out. Tree service told us that this was the best way to remove the ivy and prevent it from taking over the tree. We were told that by removing the roots that the leaves on the tree would then die.  My husband did as the tree service had recommended but the ivy roots must have been deeper than he had thought because a section did die back but it was not enough to get rid of the ivy t had grown up our tree.

 

The bare bottom of the tree is due to the pruning..we thought it was dying back.

The ivy will kill your tree.  Here are a few photos of the branches that feel recently.  You can see the thick ivy branches and leaves. The ivy is sucking the life out of the tree and if we don’t find a way to kill it we will have to cut the tree down in the spring. 

thick ivy vine growing on side of the tree

Oak Tree branch with vigorous ivy vine 

Back to Basics Deer Repellent That Works

 

My home was built directly next to the woods and the deer think my yard is their yard.  

 

We love the wildlife but draw the line when it comes to our raised garden beds on our patio.  We think that is off limits and that the deer need to stay away from the patio next to our home.

 

We have tried pepper solutions, bells, wind chimes, and chicken wire but none of them have repelled the deer from our patio gardens.

 

Then in the fall I shopped at big lots and found decorative scarecrows.  I put them in my planters and to my surprise the deer stayed away from them.  A simple and basic scarecrow is what kept the deer away from my patio and surrounding yard.

 

Know that the deer are very afraid of the scarecrows especially on a windy day when their hair and arms have movement.

 

The deer will stomp their hooves onto the ground, snort and turn away from my patio gardens.  The scarecrows are a simple and basic way to deter wildlife. Even the raccoon stay away from the scarecrows.