Poison ivy is a somewhat unwelcome guest in any garden. The plant produces a highly poisonous oil that causes severe allergic reactions, dermatitis and even lung problems if it is burned. Here are some tips for ridding your garden of this unwanted guest.
Steps
Step 1. Identify poison ivy
Poison ivy can be recognized based on the following characteristics:
- It is a climber with clusters of three pointed leaves.
- The central leaf has a slightly longer stem than the others on the sides.
- The leaves are wider at the base.
- There are no thorns on the stem.
- The berries, when present, are gray-white in color.
- It is found in three distinct forms: 1) as a climber clinging to trees; 2) on the ground, covering it extensively and up to 30-60 centimeters in height; 3) as a huge bush, usually near sand dunes.
- The leaves are green in summer and red in autumn.
- It can grow virtually anywhere.
Step 2. Poison ivy is a wild plant and humans are the only creatures allergic to it
If it does not grow in an area that can be reached by humans, it should not be touched.
Step 3. The plant can be pulled out
If you know you are not particularly allergic or know someone who is not, extraction is the best solution. The operation must be repeated if the roots have not been completely removed.
Step 4. Use a herbicide to kill the plant
- Another solution can be the use of a glyphosate-based herbicide, such as Roundup ™ or other specific products against poison ivy.
- Dilute the concentrated herbicide with water, using a triple dose. Do not use ready-made herbicides, as they are not strong enough to eradicate poison ivy.
- Pour the herbicide into a nebulizer (for example, you can use the vaporizer of a glass cleaner). Read the instructions on the herbicide label. Label the nebulizer and store the bottle for that one purpose only by storing it in a safe place.
Step 5. Spray the solution onto the poison ivy leaves, covering them completely
Choose a day that is not windy to do this job.
- Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, plastic gloves over cotton gloves, socks and closed shoes or boots.
- Try not to spray the solution on the plants you don't want to kill - the herbicide is absorbed through the leaves, after which the plant dies.
- If poison ivy is clinging to trees, cut the creeper six inches above the ground and treat the base of the plant with glyphosate after trimming it. Spray any leaves that try to sprout.
- If it continues to grow back, look for more specimens on nearby trees, as it may still seed if the mother plant is not uprooted.
- At this point, poison ivy should turn yellow and die within a couple of weeks.
Step 6. Wear gloves, as the roots also cause allergic reactions
Dig a hole in the soil of at least 20 centimeters and remove all roots. In this way, you will avoid the regrowth of the plant. Be sure to dig where the roots have grown.
- You absolutely must wear gloves to dig, otherwise you will get dermatitis due to the roots that contain urushiol like the rest of the plant.
- Grab the roots while wearing gloves and stow them in the garbage bags.
- Use a hoe to remove stubborn roots.
Step 7. Smother the area where poison ivy grew
Use construction paper, black plastic, newspaper, or mulch to prevent poison ivy from continuing to grow in that area.
Step 8. Before washing with soap and water, first clean yourself with alcohol, vinegar, white spirit or any other detergent to remove the irritating substance of poison ivy
Step 9. Monitor the area carefully throughout the year and get rid of poison ivy if it tries to grow back
- The control must be carried out for years, because it could grow back at any moment.
- Poison ivy is a very tenacious plant. It will grow back if the roots have not been completely removed or killed. It may be necessary to repeat the treatment with the herbicide several times to eliminate it completely. Beware of the seeds left by the birds.
Advice
- Herbicides such as Roundup ™ must be sprayed at temperatures below 27 °. The heat would transform the sprayed substance into a gas that would spread more, ending up on other harmless plants as well.
- Add a few drops of dish soap to the herbicide. It will help the herbicide adhere better to the poison ivy leaves.
- Mark the spot where you found poison ivy with a bamboo stick to check it in the future.
- Know that deer and birds eat poison ivy berries, spreading the seeds through feces, so new specimens of the plant could grow almost anywhere.
- The herbicide is most effective on the plants that have produced the berries.
- If you don't feel like removing poison ivy with your own hands, ask for help from a gardener.
- Goats are greedy for poison oak and poison ivy. If you have goats available, you can let them eat those plants to eliminate them naturally. Nurseries can recommend places to rent goats. Remember that you will have to weed out the roots again.
- Teach your kids how to recognize poison ivy so they can avoid it.
- If you are concerned that you have touched poison ivy, rinse the affected area with cold (never warm!) Water to tighten the pores of the skin. Warm water causes pores to widen, which would allow the irritant to penetrate even deeper.
- If you know you have poison ivy in your garden, get soap made specifically to protect your skin from the poisonous oil of the plant. This type of soap is available in many stores or pharmacies.
Warnings
- Never burn poison ivy. The smoke from the plant would cause the same allergic reaction inside the lungs that occurs on the skin. This type of reaction is much more serious than dermatitis.
- Remember that branches and twigs are also highly poisonous, even in the dormant period.
- Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that kills any plant it comes in contact with. Keep it away from other plants.
- Do not use herbicides in the presence of children or animals. You must always keep them in places out of reach of children and animals. Follow the instructions on the label carefully.
- When removing poison ivy be careful not to touch it with bare skin. Wear thick gloves, protective clothing and wash all clothes thoroughly, as urushiol can remain on fabrics.
- Do not plant anything in the glyphosate treated area for at least a week, as the herbicide will continue to work for several days after application.
- Be careful not to spray the herbicide on yourself or animals as it is highly toxic.
