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Growing Ivy on dead tree stump (trunk)?

skankinpickleskankinpickle Posts: 119
edited July 2022 in Plants
Ooopsss. Meant to post this in "Wildlife Gardening" . . 

Hi. I have a tree that has been dead for over a year now. Slowly the branches have fallen (or have been cut) off. Now there is a mature dead tree stump left over about 40 cm in diameter (about 6 foot tall).

I was just wondering if I could possibly grow some kind of creeping ivy or similar, over it to make it look better (rather than having it cut to the ground - in which case I will not be able to grow anything tall there in its place).

Any ideas? The tree stump is in the shade if that makes any difference, so not much chance of flowers.

*of course there may be a chance of it falling down further. But it seems to have stabilised now and has been in its current state for over 6 months.



Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2022
    That sounds ideal for growing ivy on … and as you say, great for wildlife … there’s lots of choice
    https://www.fibrex.co.uk/collections/hederas 

    and you could also grow ferns around the base … a few primroses and foxgloves … and a native daffodil or two and
    it'll be as pretty as a picture …. 😊 

    oh … and some snowdrops … 😊  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    good idea. It will gradually 'melt down' under the Ivy in a graceful collapse and be an excellent bit of wildlife habitat for your garden


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • skankinpickleskankinpickle Posts: 119
    edited July 2022
    Silver surfer said:
    nutcutlet said:
    good idea. It will gradually 'melt down' under the Ivy in a graceful collapse and be an excellent bit of wildlife habitat for your garden
    Just like this one.
    It looks like an ivy tree but underneath is the old tree stump.

    Excellent. You have created your own tree. I presume it is "stuck" on quite tight.
    I presume that is growing from the ground on the other side? How close to the tree stump did you set it up? And did you use any kind of stabilisation (like a trellis) or did the ivy just naturally grow up the trunk?

    Regarding the Ivy, does it really matter from a growing point of view which one I choose? Obviously the faster growing the better (I want my ivy tree, haha) . . . . .As I mentioned the area where the stump is is in the shade. . . .looking it up it seems some ivy will grow there regardless . . 
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Just be careful what you choose .All my bushes on my boundary are full of ivy and it’s strangling everything in sight .Planted by my late next door neighbour and it’s a right pain .Please choose a non invasive ( is that the right term) one or you’ll be sorry .
  • skankinpickleskankinpickle Posts: 119
    bcpathome said:
    Just be careful what you choose .All my bushes on my boundary are full of ivy and it’s strangling everything in sight .Planted by my late next door neighbour and it’s a right pain .Please choose a non invasive ( is that the right term) one or you’ll be sorry .

    Oh, er. I do not think they ever mention any negative things about plants on the buying sites . . . . 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Silver surfer said:
    nutcutlet said:
    good idea. It will gradually 'melt down' under the Ivy in a graceful collapse and be an excellent bit of wildlife habitat for your garden
    Just like this one.
    It looks like an ivy tree but underneath is the old tree stump.
    Imagine the buzz of pollinators as you walk past that in Autumn!
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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