PHOTO OF THE WEEK, Poison Ivy

[Jack Schmidling]

Everyone knows (or should know) what poison Ivy looks like.

But this one really took me by surprise....

js

[Cheryl Isaak]

Just found some in my perennial bed. I'm waiting until fall is truly here (and after my parent's 50 anniversary party) to get the rubber gloves out. After the last round and needing steroids to cure it, I'm taking no chances.

C

[Jerry Avins]

Denature the irritant on yourself and your tools with a moderately strong alkali. Brown laundry soap (which contains some of the lye used to make it) was once recommended, but it's hard to find and household ammonia works much better. When I dealt with a large infestation last year -- four trees had been overgrown with it for years -- I covered up as completely as I could, then rinsed all exposed skin with ammonia when done. I changed, bagged the clothes, rinsed again, and showered, I washed the clothes when I got home after soaking them in ammonia. Nary a blister.

Jerry

[Jangchub]

I wish it would be fall around here. Still October and still 90 by day, 70s by night. I need serious weeding action.

[Cheryl Isaak]

I basically got the PI in my blood stream and even though the initial contact was only on my arm, it was erupting on my face and neck and a few less comfortable spots. So for me it is rubber gloves, straight into a bag with the lot (fortunately only a single vine) and a through wash for myself and the clothes with the Rx soap. Not taking a single chance on repeat.

C

[Leon Fisk]

I would just zap it with glyphosate and get the root for sure too (shrug). Don't have to handle it that way. Let it die back to the point that you can't tell what it was anymore. By next spring it shouldn't be of any problem.

If you have desirables mixed in with it, hold something like cardboard up by it as a backstop so the over spray doesn't hit them.

[Ann]

Jerry Avins expounded:

Fels Naptha soap is what you're referring to, and oldtime home centers still carry it. It works well.

[Ann]

Jack Schmidling expounded:

I pull it and bag it to get rid of it. As long as I've got gloves on I don't have a problem. A vine that big, however, is something I wouldn't tangle with (pun intended ). I'd cut it off at the base, paint the cut surfaces with Brush Be Gone, and then leave it to die off. Even the dried leaves and branches can cause irritation, so gloves and long sleeves are needed to clean up the dead parts the following season.

Don't burn it! The oils will vaporize in the smoke, it can kill you to inhale it!

[Cheryl Isaak]

It is in the center of a large, expensive desirable. It a little vine, so I should be able to get it all with plastic knife. Cheryl

[Cheryl Isaak]

That stuff is the greatest. I buy several bars when I find it.

C

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from Jack Schmidling contains these words:

Not me, we don't have it in the UK

What a fascinating delight your website is; thanks for that

Janet

[Leon Fisk]

Then I would suggest marking the spot with a stake or something and keep close watch for it growing back. I suspect you may have to do this job more than once. Poison Ivy is quite tenacious.

[Cheryl Isaak]

That's a good idea! There are a whole 6 leaves on it... C

[Jerry Avins]

How do you spray it when it's growing up a tree?

Jerry

[Jerry Avins]

Octagon, too. I use ammonia because it works even better. Diluted oven cleaner works well too.

Jerry

[Cheryl Isaak]

The conventional wisdom is that if you cut the vine off from the roots and treat the cut ends with your choice of weed killer, it will die. (the dead vines, leaves etc still have plenty of urushiol, so be wary)

Cheryl

[Leon Fisk]

That takes a two stage approach. I would cut the vine off a few feet above the ground and wait maybe a year. Then spray the new growth good that you can easily reach. Keep a close eye on it and hit anymore new growth if the first dose doesn't do it in.

[Jim Kingdon]

the previous owner of our house was thinking, as we had a rather large poison ivy covered tree as well (unlike the photo, it was spreading into flowerbeds, along a fence, etc, as well as up the tree, though).

I cut off the vines around the tree and dug up the roots (with gloves, long sleeves, shower/laundry afterwards, etc). It would have been a big job with or without herbicide, I suspect, given the number of other plants around (some desirable).

[Charles]

(snip)

Maybe not now, but it has been there.

Many years ago there was an article in "Pacific Horticulture" Magazine about people in England growing Poison Oak, or maybe Poison Ivy, as an ornamental plant.

Seemed kind of strange to me, I don't like the stuff myself.

[gls858]

I use a product called TechNu. If you think you've come into contact simply rub it on and rinse it off. I work in ivy invested woods cutting firewood and clearing trails and I have yet to get it after I started using this stuff. I make it a point to never run out. By far the best stuff I've found.

gls858