I need help to get rid of Poison Ivy plants. At the previous house in North Hills, PA, I first got bad rashes from Poison Ivy plants. It took me at least 2 to 3 months to stop the itches and I can't imagine how anyone can sleep through the night with those rashes. I was going crazy by the first week scratching like a monkey. Now the snow is fast disappearing (hooray!) and I'm wondering how to get rid of the Poison Ivy plants at the front yard slope...aside from getting someone to do the clearing. If I can't find any way out (besides pulling them out individually), I will have to dress myself - covered from my neck down to my feet....and someone...somewhere..will think that I'm that 'crazy woman who just moved in'. Any ideas are welcome. moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic
They make a poison ivy killer. Most home stores like Lowes or Home Depot should carry it. WalMart may also carry it. Or any weed and brush killer will do it in too. I usually hit it with killer as soon as I see it coming up. Once it is dead just leave it and let it decompose. DO NOT burn it. If you breath the smoke you will then have it in your throat and possibly your lungs.
Thanks Capt. I wouldn't have known that poison ivy is really that poisonous...and so much to learn about the flora and fauna of USA. I will get the weed killer and do more research on poison ivy. It is just very time consuming to do research and I'm still trying to finish up the 2nd trellis....and on the way to create another netting for the morning glory...also the posts to create a grape arbor for my husband. Wishing you and yours, a successful and blessed week.
You are so very sweet, kind and warm friend, Driss! God bless with abundance for your generosity...and you've so much to give. Wish that we're neighbors!
The products that I have used a in a spray form and are best applied when there is not breeze because like any weed killer it can also kill or disfigure your adjacent plants.
Thank you, Gail! Just got back from Lowes and saw that there are many kinds of spray and some of them stated that it kills weeds ..and poison ivy isn't mentioned at all. Monsanto's prices for killing weeds sprays are outrages...and I don't like to support the company...due to GMO's and their business ethics.
I have heard that if you cover the area with black plastic ...but for how long I am not sure. I would think you would need the hot sun to beat down and kill everything under the plastic. Hopefully someone knows more about it.
Thank you, Sherry! I'm still looking for a homemade spray/recipe for this. I think that distilled vinegar will help...but I want to be very sure that it is eco-friendly. I tried bleach at our previous house but it didn't work and it isn't eco friendly....but I was desperate back then 'cos I didnt' know that such a plant 'poison ivy' do exist. We don't have that in Singapore...at least not where I my home is. Wishing you a beautiful week.
We don't have much poison Ivy on the other side of the country but there are many others we have here. Poison Oak, stinging nettles, devils club and a couple others I can't think of right now. One thing I have found that helps with any of them is Bear Candy. I don't know the scientific name for it but it is a broad leaf plant that comes up in spring. If you take it and cut a piece the fluids neutralize the stinging and burn from them, at least it did for me. If you can find one, get one of those Garden Augers I have seen on TV so many times. You can hook it up to a drill and remove the poison ivy without ever touching it. Make sure to put the vines in a place you can control and kill. It can be really hard to kill and will root even after being pulled up. I helped a group while I was in college to pull out a massive amount of English Ivy that was choking out some trees and we had to go back a month later and pull up all the new starts from the vines we thought would die on the ground.
Thank you very much for your tips. We've augers and will try it out. I don't know how to get rid of poison ivy plants other than disintegrating it in a solid planter (covered up) with a 'tree stump remover'. It doesn't create any fire except that will be in smouldering amber. Then...we will have to bury it in a corner of our garden (where we won't be using it for gardening). I'm still looking up for a home recipe using distilled vinegar and kill them entirely. My other problem is the English Ivy. The previous owners planted the ivys and neglected them for many years. We inherited a front sloped yard filled with creeping ivys...climbing up 3 pine trees (they are all dying) and I tried to pull out the roots of the ivys but to no avail. They are all huge roots and has gone too far astray. I've another recipe to look for...to get rid of English Ivy plants. Thanks for your tips...any tips on Engish Ivy plants are very welcome. Wish you a very pleasant week.
http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and- ... rmula.html http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.c ... iller.html Somewhere on here I read to get a higher concentrate vinegar from a garden supply store for best results. I don't remember what the % was, sorry and I can't find it right now. Anyway, there are some simple recipes that might work for you.
Agnes, if you find a recipe for English Ivy, I'd be interested in that. I battle leftover ivy but I've about won the fight I think. I've gotten rid of large amounts of it by pulling it out by the roots of the runners and digging as much of the main roots as I can. Sometimes I chop at the big roots with a small hatchet or this heavy maul sort of tool that I have. The roots can be huge -- as big around as my wrist easily. Though I've not been able to get rid of it completely YET, there is less and less of it that comes back each time. Not the greatest news for you, but that's been my experience.
