Hi there I have a few really tall trees in my garden which are overgrown with assorted vines. Is it necessary for me to cut them at the trunk (at least some of them) to keep the trees in good health? Thanks
Depends entirely on the type of tree and type of vines.
A local tree surgeon, hippy, or naturalist (not to be confused with a naturist!) will likely be of more help than randoms on the global net. They can look at it up close and see what we can’t.
Generally though, nature is best left to do its thing. If the trees aren’t showing any signs of suffering because of the vines then just leave nature to do its thing.
If you want to maintain the trees in good health I would recommend cutting them back. Go around the tree and cut every vine in two places, removing a small section between to prevent them from healing. Do not pull larger sections of vine from the tree as this can severely damage the bark.
Given that you said you’re in the UK, its probably some kind of what we call in the US “English Ivy” (Hedera helix). In the Northwestern US it gets so heavy that it pulls otherwise healthy trees down, and it is considered invasive, but it’s so pervasive there isn’t much that can be done about it.
I’ve always wondered what keeps it in check in its native range. The way we deal with it here is pulling it up when its on the ground and cutting the vine at the base of the tree when it’s climbing. It takes a really long time to die, but it does eventually wilt away.
I too am interested to hear how it goes, good luck!
I’ll keep you in the loop!
I would say yes. The vines dosnt kill the tree, but make it harder to live. They are BTW really good plants for insects to live in.
So just cutting it at the trunk will kill the rest of it? Will the rest of the plant die and fall off? Should I cut all of them or is it ok if i leave 50%? I like how it looks but im worried about the trees.
They are some strong plants, so cutting at the lowest point will most likely kill the top, but they can get water and so other places. O just hot rid of a lot, and unless you’re digging them up, they will eventually come again. 😊
Maybe.
It depends on the vine, some of them will establish “aerial” roots and there is more than enough energy in the vine to grow back to the ground.
I’d determine the type of vine and see if the reason it is over grown is if the vine is doing it or the trees are naturally dying due to the small copse degrading
Best to ID the vines first. I use inaturalist for quick suggestions of what a plant might be if I don’t recognize it, then compare close up pictures to what I’m seeing. This will let you know if you need any ppe for the task and can inform what you need to do afterwards to keep them from covering the tree again.
To your question - yes, cut the vines at their base. Some vines secure themselves very tightly to the tree, others have a looser hold. If these vines are wound very tightly to the tree it would be worth cutting them, then letting the upper growth die back before pulling it from the tree. Doing it this way can prevent damage to the bark and cambium of the trees you’re freeing.
Thank you - I contacted a local tree surgeon to see what he thinks of it.
As some people mentioned, it is a good idea to ID them first, and depending on the species, if they are parasitic, they can kill the tree or leave it weak enough to die from something else
Some species, even if you cut their visible stems, but leave the host trunk intact without treatment, can regrow from embedded haustoria (specialized roots) that penetrate deep into the host’s vascular system, allowing them to regenerate from internal tissues.
I checked and there are no parasitic vines in the UK where I live.
I will get them properly IDed so I know what in up against.
As advised, I contacted a local tree surgeon and will see what he says about it
Let us know how it goes. I love seeing how these cases unfold in the fediverse
