Help Please

[NaeNae]

I need help BADLY.

You see the only thing holding up reconstuction of chook coop and run (I know this is non poultry chat and trust me it is) is this BLASTED 30+ over grown IVY.

Hubby has told me I am not allowed to use any power tools on it in case I actually go too far and hit the concrete AND I am not allowed to damage the tree

how am I meant to do it??

Any Ideas???

Nae x

 

[MeatKing]

What about an old fashion regular human powered saw? Some heavy duty pruning shears? Tin snips? Just thoughts, i don't know really..

 

[MeatKing]

oh and welcome to BYC

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Can you use a loppers on it? That's what I use on things that are too big for a little pruning shears and too small to bother with a saw. Although, if some of it is too big for a loppers, a pruning saw would work. One of the things I like about a loppers is the long handles, when I want to snip something near the ground.

 

[NaeNae]

dumb question ... what a loppers? I am Aussie so some things might have a different name here

some of the sections of ivy are SO thick I s'pose I could just sit there and slowly trim away little bit by little bit but OMG what a job that will be and honestly I am a "need it yesterday" kind of person

hmmmm might just go and sit and snip while DD has her nap and see how much I can do in 2 hours LOL.

I have tried hacking into it with an axe but thats not terribly useful either coz I don't know what I am hitting (and I am a crap shot)

Maddie (goat) did an excellent job getting rid of the leaves for me to at least I can see part of what I am doing

Nae x

 

[patandchickens]

Good luck getting that much ivy off the tree without damaging the tree.

But, to do as best you can, loppers are something like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loppers or also see http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Loppers/PowerGear
They are usually about 3' long, -ish.

Sever each ivy vine separately, then use smaller pruning shears as needed to trim the 'legs' that are holding it to the tree, then get it off the tree -- realistically you are likely to have to sever the vine again at whatever height you can't go beyond, in getting it off the tree, and leave the top part to die up there and hope to be able to pull it down later.

Dumb question, why not just leave the ivy there?

Pat

 

[Judy]

Loppers = long handles pruning shears, look like a plain old hand pruner but handles are about 2" long, common in gardening section here.

 

[NaeNae]

Quote:
Pat its the corner post. It is wider and heavier than the others PLUS it is designed for a gate to be swung off it.

I am contemplating squaring the run off at the post before it and using that last 19' as the area where my coop can be built but IF there was a way I could do it, it would save having to transfer a standard post to a corner post .

I know I know dumb aussie chick biting off more than she can chew. In a perfect world I'd get rid of the tree anyway but DH likes it for god knows what reason and I spose it does offer an evergreen shelter unlike the other trees in the immediate area

Nae x