On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 20:06:19 +0200, "David \(Normandy\)"
wrote:

We had an oak tree covered in ivy. It all originated from an ivy trunk
around 3 inched diameter, so I sawed it through last Summer. After a few
months the ivy was dead. This year the oak tree is looking a lot happier.
The dead ivy is still clinging to it, but is no longer choking it to death.
I thought I'd leave the ivy in-situ rather than trying to pull any off as it
would probably have damaged the bark. I'm sure it will weather and fall off
in it's own time over the next few years.

I think you will find it takes more than a "few years". It took about
20 years to fall off one of my neighbours house end.

Steve