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Poison Ivy/Sumac/Oak
By newchristine on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 12:26pm
Any experts out there in ID-ing the poison stuff? Anyone know an individual who can ID and eliminate it in West Roxbury/Rozzi area?? Thanks!
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Comments
I'm no expert, but I was
I'm no expert, but I was able to ID a bunch in my backyard with the help of these two sites.
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view
http://www.poison-ivy.org/html/advanced.htm
I don't know about professional removal, but there's a bunch of info on diy methods here: http://www.ou.edu/oupd/pivyp.htm (scroll down to "Control")
Poison Poison stuff
Thanks very much!! In between itching, I will check out these sites......
Don't dig
I do not recommend digging up poison ivy. The roots are even worse than the leaves. You won't actually get all the roots out, it will grow back, and you will get a truly terrible case of the itchies. You can't dig it out, you can't burn it up, and you can't cut it down. The only way is to poison it.
If you have some Roundup around, use that. It will take a few applications. Otherwise, Ortho makes Brush-B-Gone, which is reputed to work better on poison ivy.
Either way, once you spray, just leave the plants there. If they seem to perk up, spray again. The poison is taken in by the leaves, and taken down to the roots, which it kills. Eventually the plants just start biodegrading in place. No need to touch them.
I dig not digging
Thanks, Gareth,
...for all this info. I did hear about Roundup, so now I will check out that and Brush-B-Gone.
If I ever get to heaven, I am going to ask the Big Guy WHY he created poison ivy, and WHY there is no natural cure, like the sap or juice of another plant!
But wait, there's more!
Climate change could mean a heck of a lot more of it, and more toxic plants as well. I've seen plant research where the stuff gets more toxic with more CO2 in the atmosphere (more CO2 in the air means it makes more of the oil), and grows better with longer growing seasons and more heat.
Lovely! Ragweed also gets more obnoxious with more carbon dioxide and more warmth. Perhaps these plants were installed as a way to punish us for messing up the planet?
Roundup
Does using Roundup this way make it harder to grow something more desirable there later (such as tomatoes or strawberries)? Will it damage bees or other insects who make contact with the poisoned poison ivy?
Roundup
It won't affect something you plant there a few weeks later. It won't affect seeds, or plants that haven't emerged from the ground. It won't even affect something planted in the same soil that you didn't spray. That's why it's so great on vines. You foam up the vine leaves, and it will kill the vine without affecting a plant that's growing in the same soil.
I don't know what it does to bees and insects. My guess is nothing, since the plant absorbs it and it works by disrupting plant-specific enzymes.
Cool
Wonder if it works on stinging nettles. ...
Sumac spice
What is the spice sumac?...
help for the itch
I had good luck digging out the roots of the fairly small poison ivy plant in my front yard. Long sleeves, two layers of gloves, long pants. Everything dug up went into plastic bags. All clothes went immediately into the wash. No ivy came back. But I made the choice to take the risk.
Of course, I didn't realize it was poison ivy until after my husband got a rash. He felt that Zanfel (http://www.zanfel.com/help/) was worth the price.
Thank you, anon....
I got the Ortho Poison Ivy spray.....and am going to spray shortly, as it is good and dry. I don't think I should try to dig the stuff up.
Poison Ivy
Tackling my new yard with poison ivy that hasn't been tended for 15+ years has been a challenge - but I found that Round-up for poison ivy worked really well and oddly didn't kill the "good ivy" which the poison ivy invaded. When it dies and you cut it away - still wear longsleeves and gloves, just to be safe. Good luck.
Poison Ivy itch relief~ Jewelweed
I just read an article about jewelweed, a wildflower, that says jewelweed contains an anti-inflammatory agent that instantly neutralizes urushiol, poison ivy's itch-causing compound. You are supposed to rub jewelweed extract directly on the affected area. Article says you can get the extract at health food stores. Hey, I've never heard of it, but I'll try it next time!
Or you could
Yank as much as you want out of my backyard. It's all over the place.
Yup.
Jewelweed also works for itching that comes about from contact with nettles, too.