English Ivy on pine trees...should I kill it?

[Paschale]

Hi guys,

I have some awesome pines in my backyard that are probably nearly as old as my house, close to 380 years.  There's some ivy that hasclimbed up two of them pretty far.  Should I be concerned about this, or let it go?

thanks!

Dan

[populus]

By all means, kill it. You can just cut the stems near the ground. The dead ivy will be unsightly for a while but will eventually dry up and drop off. Ivy can add significant weight to limbs and cause crown failure.  Of course, ivy resprouts, so you will have to keep on top of it.  You could paint Roundup (concentrated) on the cut stumps to kill the roots.

[asy]

Only remember, cut with one hand, paint with the other, coz if ya have to put your saw down and pick up the paint brush, it's too late! (or use two people.. hehe) Need to get the roundup on there while the sap's still flowing, and before it calouses.

Hey Puh'skolly, If your house is 380 years old, would you please be kind enough to post photos, I"m fascinated!!!

asy :D

[Buzz-sawyer]

Is it a cave .or a TeePee? ;) :D

[Paschale]

 :D :D :D :D

Wait a minute--you guys don't believe that in Michigan there could be a house built in 1625?  It's one of the oldest houses in America, in fact, and I'm the proud owner of it.   :D

It's a cave... ;)

UMM....make that 80 years.   ;)

Right now, it's really more of a sty--time for a thorough Spring cleaning!   :D

See...the reason it came up as 380 years, is that a couple of weeks ago, I spilled some water on the keyboard.   :  I've had luck drying out electrical components in the past, and having them work just fine, but for some reason, the numbers are all messed up.  You should see what that 1625 up there looks like when I don't correct that:  167245. :D

Time
for
a new keyboard.  Oh and that's another problem...sometimes the space key will just randomly do a space, and be the enter key at the same time.   :  Keeps me on my toes...

[Furby]

Ya had me there for a minute!
I couldn't belive ya hadn't mentioned that your place was older then mine. ;D

[Riles]

You know, I didn't give a second thought to a 380 year old house, but I was having a hard time thinking a pine tree got that old.

Does all that snow make 'em live longer up there?

[Paschale]

Does all that snow make 'em live longer up there?

Well, of course.  They hibernate in the winter, and so for six months out of the year, they're in a limbo state.  They live exactly twice as long here as down in Florida.  I thought everyone knew that.   :

;)

[Minnesota_boy]

Have any of you been to the UP to visit the Columbus Pines.  Located north of Houghton, they are supposed to have been seedlings when Columbus discovered America.

[Paschale]

I think the biggest stand of old growth pine north of Houghton that I know of or have seen are the Estivant Pines

They're pretty impressive old growth trees.  Very cool stuff! 

Now, near Houghton Lake are the Hartwick Pines, which is old growth forest.  Both are really impressive sites, worth a visit.

[rebocardo]

Kill any ivy/vines on any tree. From where I live in GA, it promotes bug infestation because the bugs end up under the vine (especially ants) where the birds can not get to them and the vines break the bark surface or tunnel under the bark. Not to mention they deprive the tree of food.

[UNCLEBUCK]

Paschale that is a great link to the estivant pines. I packed ma and dad in my pickup camper and sent them on a trip there last year , they came home with 2 bushels of apples  ??? country folks have bad habits  ;D I gonna check out the other link now

[SwampDonkey]

White pine can live 450 years if they don't go thru severe fire or have blister rust. I've seen many that are well over 200 years and 15 meters taller than the surrounding forest canopy. I know a forest where a sever fire burned through killing everything and these white pine stubs are still standing after the new forest grew up. ;D