shredding Ivy

[Charlie Morgan]

I have a property with a lot of english ivy that has run amuck. I want to pull it up and run it through a chipper-shredder. I'm just wondering if one of those 6.5 HP Troy-bilt units from Sears or Lowes will handle ivy without jamming every 10 seconds. Has anyone ever tried shredding this stuff?

Yes, I understand that the ivy will grow back. So will the stand of bamboo I will also be cutting down and running through the chipper. I just need to clear it for the short term. My only question is about whether this machine will grind the ivy reasonably well, since it looks like that might be a good question to ask, given the tough, stringy nature of ivy.

Thanks CWM

[trbo20]

I do this with my mulching lawn mower all the time. It makes for great compost. Take care to make sure it's completely shredded before tossing it in a pile somewhere. A small piece left in the right place can take root and start a new vine.

[bill allemann]

as long as the blades are nice and sharp and you run the unit at fairly high rpms, they will grind up nicely.

bill

[nhurst]

I usually take RoundUp to it and leave it alone for a few weeks, then respray until it's dead.

Then again, I had a serious infestation, and nothing to lose except for a bunch of English Ivy.

[Charlie Morgan]

Thanks, but I have about a 1/4 acre that is very thickly covered and it has to be cleared away, dead or alive.

CWM

[Colbyt]

Not looked at the insides of the TB model. I can tell you for a fact that the YardMachine type blades will not shred any viney material. It just locks it up and you have to dis-assemble the machine to clear the clog. Shreds other stuff fine but not vines. Green bamboo I think it will do.

Mowing the stuff in place and then raking might be your best option.for the ivy.

[PipeDown]

If you agressivly clear the ivy and continue to clear it for a few months, it (the roots)will eventually die due to starvation without leaves. You can't just cut it down and be done with it. A roto tiller will give it a hard time too.

[Charlie Morgan]

Oh, how I wish I could run a mower over it. Unfortunately, it's rocky, hilly, rough terrain. I'm also not interested in any extra effort for a permanent fix. We just need the area cleared for the short term. It can all grow back in a few years and it won't matter.

Thanks, CWM

[Charlie Morgan]

UPDATE: In researching which chipper/shredder to buy, I learned that even the better consumer models will not handle Ivy or Bamboo. In fact, the troy-bilt unit that was my first choice soecifically warns against using it for those two things specifically. Vines and Ivy will jam, and bamboo contains a lot of silica which quickly ruins the blades. Oh, well.

CWM

[nhurst]

[Colbyt]

Charlie,

It was very nice of you to do the update for the benefit of others. So many people never take the time to let the group regulars know how their problem or question resolved.