Q: We have removed lots of ivy climbing our trees. We were thinking about renting a chipper/shredder to chop the vine. Afterwards, will it still be able to take root? Gwen Kemmerick, Duluth

A: You face two concepts: the possible and the practical. There is no risk of the ivy vine being able to take root after a run through the chipper. However, on the practical side, you’ll find that the ivy will wind itself so tightly around the blades of your chipper that you’ll spend more time clearing the machine than actually chipping. A good-quality chipper handles small limbs just fine. I don’t recommend one for shredding vines.