What is the best way to get a really big vine off an even bigger tree?

The vine is is wrist-thick at the base, and I am worried that cutting
the vine at the base will just make the load on the tree heavier, or
cause the vine to put more roots into the tree, so maybe you are
better off not cutting the vine.

Dear bigjosh,

You requested information about removing a really big vine off an even
bigger tree.

Fortunately, you are apparently not the only individual to have
struggled with such a problem.  Marge Talt has written a three-part
series on removing vines from wooded areas for the Web publication
“Gardening in Shade” – the series will assist you in identifying the
exact type of vine you are dealing with (make sure it’s not Poison
Ivy!), as well as with understanding how you should go about tackling
removing the vine.  If it as big as you describe, it will eventually
kill off your tree.  The series starts on the following page –

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/shade_gardening/50610

Click on the “next article” link to access parts II and III.  This
article also includes a lot of wonderful photographs that should
assist you in vine identification.

Here is some additional advice from the Times-Picayune, dated July 28,
2000 and written by Dan Gill –

“If a large vine is growing high in a tree, cut off the vine about six
inches from the ground. The vine in the tree will die. When the stump
resprouts, spray the shoots with herbicides when they are about four
inches long. Repeat the applications until the stump stops
resprouting. If the vine is growing over a desirable shrub, remove the
vine from the shrub while wearing rubber gloves, lay it on a sheet of
plastic and spray with glyphosate or triclopyr. Once it is dry, push
it under the shrub to die. Check frequently for signs of new growth
and spray if needed.”

This tactic is echoed by Rett Davis, writing for the Burlington
Times-News – however, Rett addresses Poison Ivy specifically:

“By far the easiest way to get rid of poison ivy in trees is to cut a
chunk of the vine out with either a pair of loppers or a bow saw.
After you have removed a 2-3 inch section of the vine near the base of
the tree, pour undiluted Roundup, Brush Killer, or Brush-B-Gon on the
stump of the poison ivy vine immediately. Pour just enough to wet the
stump. These herbicides will translocate into the root and prevent
regrowth.”

Rett’s article is online at –

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/alamance/gardening/2001/may/13.html

In conclusion, then, it seems that you should remove this vine from
your tree, and you now have more information concerning how to go
about doing so.

I hope this response adequately addresses your request.
Thanks,
ragingacademic


Search Strategy:

1) gardening AND “large vines” AND tree
2) “removing a large vine”
3) “removing large vines”

bigjosh - 

thanks for the 5-star rating and the tip!
hope that helped you decide how to proceed with the vine.

ragingacademic