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Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

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Date: 04/18/2007 Topics: Gardening > Weeds | Readers Request > Gardening  
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I have so much poison ivy growing all throughout my trees and bushes. I tried to get rid of them by pouring vinegar but it didn't work. I have a dog so I don't want to use any harmful chemicals. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get rid of them?

Kayla from NJ
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Post by badwater (603) | (07/26/2007)
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My Dad always used kerosene on poison ivy. He'd pour it on it & wait a few days to a week, let it die, then take a garden hoe to it. Dig it up & toss away. No need for anything else. He didn't have to worry about us kids getting in to it anymore.


Post By (Guest Post) (04/27/2007)
poison ivy and poison oak help me plez my dad works 4 lawn services and he get poison ivy and sometimes poison oak

RE: Getting Rid of Poison Ivy


Post by Mythi (19) | (04/21/2007)
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Killing poison ivy - Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer.


Post by Mythi (19) | (04/21/2007)
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Simple Solution
Spring is one of the very best and easiest times to rid your land of poison ivy in a safe, environmentally friendly way.

The key is catching the plant when the leaves are new and shiny.

Here is an easy formula for killing new poison ivy growth using simple kitchen cupboard ingredients:

Soap has been used for centuries as an all-purpose herbicide.

Note: Buy a liquid soap and not a detergent. Health food stores have liquid soaps, such as Dr. Bronners Pure-Castile Soaps.

Soap Spray

4 tablespoons liquid soap
1 quart water

Combine ingredients in a bucket, mix, then transfer to a spray bottle as needed.

Note that this recipe will kill neighboring vegetation also, so focus the spray on the poison ivy.

Here is another alternative solution to herbicides: Goats! For some reason, Spanish and Angora goat breeds absolutely love poison ivy. Make sure you get those particular breeds; most others don't like poison ivy for their main meal. I would love to have goats, but my family won't let me... !

Here is the homemade poison ivy vegetation killer spray that I've found is safe and effective if you are reading this when the leaves are no longer shiny:

Poison Ivy Vegetation Killer
1 cup salt
8 drops liquid detergent
1 gallon vinegar

Combine the salt and vinegar in a pan and heat to dissolve the salt. Cool the vinegar, add the detergent, and pour some of the liquid into a large spray bottle. Spray the vegetation. (You can also just pour the mixture onto the weeds.) Refill the spray bottle as necessary. Note that this formula will kill all the vegetation, so make sure that you are only spraying the plants you want to kill. If you need to use a lot of this spray, avoid spraying it near wells, as the salt can leach into your water supply.


Post By Rasta (Guest Post) (04/20/2007)
NEVER burn poision ivy to get rid of it. I had a friend that burned a fence row and inhaled the smoke and he about died. It was all over him. The oil from the poison gets in the air and the smoke and really will do you in.


Post By Rasta (Guest Post) (04/20/2007)
I am allergic to poison ivy and when I come in from yard work I lather up with tecnu and then shower and have had no problem since. Tecnu was formulated for the loggers in the northwest. Mom used to get a navy blue bar of soap called Neco Soap in the 40s and 50s at our local drug store but I cannot find it any longer. It was really good for anything.


Post by Lily 59 (102) | (04/20/2007)
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I think pouring salt on the roots will kill it.


Post By rae ann (Guest Post) (04/19/2007)
I live on 22 acres in California that had lots of poison oak. My husband sprayed it with Round Up about 5 years ago and only a little has come back. It is easy to respray. It had been growing for at least 20 years since the previous owner had sprayed and was a jungle of poison oak. We have many dogs and cats and Round Up doesn't hurt them. It keeps the sun from reaching the leaves and they die. We use it in our vineyard for weeds too.


Post by moderator (1103) | (04/18/2007)
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Question:

We have a hay field of about 6 acres. It has become overrun with poison ivy. Any ideas of how to eliminate it without destroying the hay?

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Woofey from Southern, MA

Answer:

Woofey,

The best way to eradicate poison ivy from such a big area is probably by repeated mowing or grazing the areas heavily for several years (sheep and goats apparently show no ill effects when eating it). Repeatedly taking poison ivy down to soil level will eventually cause the roots to die out. Unfortunately, this does nothing to spare your hay. Even when using chemicals like Brush-B-Gone, which is non-selective and also very toxic, poison ivy is difficult to get rid of in small areas. The size of your field makes eliminating it all the more challenging. Some sources recommend repeated mowing followed by plowing it under to control it in large agricultural areas. Not knowing your situation (whether you need to use the hay for your own livestock or you sell it to others as a cash crop, etc.), I don't know if this is even an option for you. You could try checking with your county extension agency http://www.umassextension.org/index.html or the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources http://www.mass.gov/agr/. Their sites may also offer you links to helpful information.

Good luck!
Ellen Brown
http://www.sustainable-media.com

More Answers:

RE: Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

There is a product called Zanfel that you can get at Rite Aid and Walgreens pharmacies. It's expensive. Rite Aid also has a generic. It removes the oil that causes the itching and outbreak from your skin. I have tried everything. This product works. Period. Try it. (08/24/2006)

By Rich Binell


Post by moderator (1103) | (02/09/2006)
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Q: I can get rid of the trouble if I get in contact with it. Scrub with a rich lather of homemade lye soap and I can handle the stuff with my bear hands but how do I eradicate it all together?

Thanks in advance.
wright6421

A: Wright6421,

There are a few strategies for getting rid of Poison Ivy completely, namely hand-pulling (wear gloves, long-sleeves and long pants) or digging out the roots (get the entire root or risk re-sprouting).

The chemical irritant in Poison Ivy and Poison Oak that causes a skin reaction is present in all parts of the plant (even the roots!), so be careful to avoid all direct contact. This is true even after killing them and for years afterward, so be careful when removing dead roots and stems. And don't burn the stems, as inhaling the fumes can pose serious health risks.

You can also try cutting stems to the ground and spraying the stubs with glyphosate (Roundup brand) or triclopyr (Ortho's Brush-B-Gone Poison Ivy, Poison Oak & Brush Killer). If you have ornamentals growing among your Poison Ivy and Poison Oak, paint the herbicides on the leaves instead of spraying. It may take one or more attempts of any combination of these strategies to eliminate the plants for good.

More Answers:
RE: Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak 06/08/2004
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM773.pdf

Or check with your local extension office, they are affiliated with your state college(s). Most states have one in every county.

If you are going to pull it out by the roots, wet the ground first to soften it and remember, you are working with vines. Wear protective clothing: long pants, long sleeved shirt and gloves. Use duct tape to tape your pant legs closed and tape the gloves to your sleeves. If you use an herbicide, use it in the spring while the plants are actively growing.

By Patticat
RE: Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak 06/08/2004
Check with a local garden shop. There is a product on the market which you spray on and it will kill the plants. I can't remember the name offhand.
By Toni K. (Guest Post)
RE: Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak 06/08/2004
Another hint - poisen ivy will not harm you if you wash with just plain soap and water within 15 minutes of being in contact with the plants!
By Toni K. (Guest Post)
RE: Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak 06/14/2004
Goats & Deer love the stuff, however getting rid of goats and deer sometimes pose more difficult problems. I spray it with strong Vinegar which kills anything it touches and is very cheap and safe for humans. ALSO, apply vinegar to any mosquito or deer fly bites for instant relief. It's always in my backpack.
By Dr. Jose (Guest Post)
RE: Help Getting Rid of Poison Ivy and Poison Oak 07/14/2004
When getting in contact with poison ivy or poison oak, use calamine lotion. This stops the itching. It comes in both pink lotion or clear.

If you're wanting to know how to get rid of the plants, just pour kerosene on it, this will kill the plants.

By badwater


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