I have a steep hillside covered with poision ivy:( at my driveway.
I am very allergic to it. Got very sick from steroids after exposure:(
now its very steep peraps 8 feet high and 30 feet long.
I was advised to kill everything on that hill, but fear one heavy rain will wash down mud and clog my driveway drain and pump. besides there are other plants in that mess, including stuff my mom planted before she died.
any suggestions? i would love to remove the ivy and leave what remains. i tried roundup sprayed on the ivy, it wilted a little but came back stronger than ever:(
too bad pision ivy makes you itchy its a excellent ground cover
Poison ivy is actually rather susceptible to Roundup when it is mixed at the proper strength -- English ivy is almost impervious to it. Are you buying the pre-mixed or do-it-yourself Roundup? I suggest the latter and get the "purple" brush-killer concentrate while you are at it -- every big-box store carries it. Mix to full strength and when you spray, wet the foliage thoroughly since a little mist isn't going to do the job. No need to have it dripping off the leaves in a stream, just a good wetting.
Its the roots that you have to destroy with Poison Ivy. It is an incredibly hardy vine/bush so good luck, not quite as bad as blackberry bushes in the Pacific Northwest but still a bear.
The first person who replied suggested a flamethrower, that would be a BAD idea for you as the smoke from the poison ivy would probably kill you (literally) as the poision would get into your lungs. The other suggestion he made was a big tarp - not a bad idea as it would starve them out for light but you could cut holes in the tarp to avoid killing the plants you want to keep.
Poison ivy contains a sticky, resinlike substance called urushiol, an oily substance that causes rashes and other health problems. Urushiol oil is extremely potent; a very small amount is enough to produce a rash.
Direct contact with the oil is what causes the rash, but you don't have to touch the plant to be affected. Anything that causes the oil to become airborne ? mowing or using a string trimmer on poison ivy, for example, or burning the plant ? can lead to direct contact.
A systemic herbicide is one way to kill poison ivy. It should be sprayed on the plants when they're actively growing, which draws the herbicide through the leaves and distributes it to stems and roots, which kills the plant. Applications in successive years may be required.
If application of a herbicide is not possible or not desirable, plants can be pulled out by the roots, as they were in this case.
Cover any bare skin to make sure it won't come in contact with leaves, stems, or roots. Urushiol can stay within old stems for a year, so stay vigilant even if the ivy is dead.
Wear safety goggles, gloves, a long?sleeved shirt, and long pants. Carefully tape your shirtsleeves to the gloves and your pant legs to your socks. A hat is advisable as well.
Dispose of all poison ivy debris by stuffing it into plastic garbage bags. Seal each bag with a twist tie to prevent accidental contact, then dispose of the bags. Never burn poison ivy debris: the smoke can be toxic!
When you remove your gloves after the work is complete, rub your hands with a cream containing a solvent such as mineral spirits. This will remove any traces of urushiol. Remember that urushiol is an oil, so a solvent is required to remove it. Check your pharmacy for suitable products; some may be referred to as poison ivy wash.
To prevent poison ivy from returning to an area, cover the soil with a deep layer of mulch.
End of quote.
Oren They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
orange cleaner with pumis is the best stuff I have found to clean your body with after working with poison ivy. the orange cuts the oil and the pumis gives you that abrasiveness you NEED so bad when you have poison ivy. kind of like scratching without scratching.
I get itchy thinking about it. Can't say I have been affected by poison ivy, but as a young boy I was warned about "using" the "wrong leaf" in the forest.
Oren
-- They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
I saw an epsode that went like that. Think it was the sister program of This old HOuse. One of the guys showed up and the home owner and him suited up and pulled it out by hand. I just wondered what they used to clean up the cloths afterwards. If it were mine, I think I would remove them very carefully and put them in the plastic bag and throw them away. Where I work we have some "plastic" coveralls with foot coverings and a hood. Those might be a good thing to wear while tearing out the poison ivy. They are ment to be disposed of after using them. All you would need to do wwould be get some gloves and the eye googles.
The pre-mix has never seemed like a good choice on an efficiency vs. cost basis, at least to me. I guess if a person had a few weeds in cracks in the patio it might be OK but a lot of $$$ goes out to buy a little bit of convenience.
I feel your pain. I hate the stuff. The first year after I bought my present home, I sprayed the crap out of anything that even looked like it. That said, it's clear you're getting plenty of good advice on the chemical solution to the problem. Personally, I'd kill everything on the hill and replant.
As for a non-chemical idea, allow me to suggest that you simply pay someone else to do pull it out & dispose of it. You can expect to pay well for that; but admit it, it would be worth it when compared to another round of Prednizone. Some folks are less allergic to the stuff, & if you can find one to do the dirty work, I'd pay 'em.
This episode advised to have other workers do the task, if you were especially susceptible to the ivy. I think some are not affected as much or maybe not at all.
I really never thought about the clothes and that is a good point, since someone in the home can break out in rash. The tape advice at socks and gloves is excellent also.
For the OP - as a second thought, bring a front-end loader and take it out, perhaps using the heavy mulch idea. This might not work in your case.
Oren They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Hiring a backhoe/front-end loader for a little while will get it out. Same company ought to have a dump truck.
Personally, I would like to have it scooped out as deep as the roots grow. Around shaded trees, ivy likes - backhoe with caution and pull it away and pull it away to not damage tree roots.
Oren They have computers, and they may have other weapons of mass destruction. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Friday, February 27, 1998
Mr. Pawlowski did not seem angry in his post and he asked a good question about your tarp solution. Your suggestion about cutting holes for the "good" plants also seems a bad idea since this is on a steep slope and would require an allergic individual to work closely around the ivy. Pleaser note here that I am not angry with you.
Hill has big maple tree, futher complicating matters. Its best to use mineral spirits or gasoline for clean up as it removes the oil fast. DONT USE SCRUBBING ACTION OR HOT WATER, hot water opens the skin poors so more oil does damage, scrubbing does the same thing.
Now where to find someone who isnt allergic to it.
I REALLY dont want to decimate the area since there are bulbs and plants my mom planted about 11 years ago right before she died.
if anyone is reading this around the n hills of pittsburgh and wants a ongoing project e mail me snipped-for-privacy@aol.com I can NEVER take prednisone again!
Notice what I left of heybub's post. I had the same reaction though, and only noticed the "Don't" when starting to write a followup message. Easy mistake to make, but since it's been mentioned twice now, I thought i'd point it out.
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