Poison Ivy -- HELP!!!

[Efreet]

I have a beautiful 40-acre piece of land in Central Vermont that is partially house site and lawn (~2 acres), woods (~24 acres) and fields (~13 acres). The land is bordered on one side by an old, abandoned apple orchard that is covered --in addition to old apple trees -- by wild raspberry and poison ivy.

The poison ivy has been creeping over to my land, and soon it will be near the house and the kids' play area. I have desperately tried to deal with this over the past years. Round-up (poison ivy specific) did not seem to control the problem. It did kill the grass and the nearby trees, but no appreciable dent to the poison ivy density.

The worst problem area we are talking about is a strip about fifty yards long and thirty yards wide. It is sparsely wooded, mainly by white ash and hickory trees. The undergrowth is nice fine grass -- with an increasing density of the ivy. I would love to "draw a line in the sand" and eradicate the poison ivy from that area, and keep it from taking hold again.

I am now getting a compact utility tractor with a loader, mower deck, rotary cutter and box blade, among other attachments. Here are some possibilities that I have been mulling over:

* might I be able to keep poison ivy down if I keep mowing the area frequently, and cutting it very short?

* How about if I go at it with the box blade and loader? Keep leveling and box blading the area for a year or two, then re-plant with grass?

* If the above approaches fail, does anyone know how I can get my hands on some military surplus Napalm?

* any other approaches that I might entertain?

 

[ultrarunner]

The only way I've been able to keep it at bay is repeated spraying. I use Round-Up Pro, if I'm also spraying other things or I used Ortho Brush B' Gone just for the Poison Ivy/Oak.

I find saturating the foliage in the spring will knock it down considerably. I go back in 6 week intervals to spot spray the new growth. I generally takes about 18 months to completely kill it.

Good Luck in keeping the kids and pets away from it...

 

[RalphVa]

I had some on the 2 acres we owned in Baton Rouge. Brush B Gone worked great on it there. Haven't had to use it here in Va. Brush B Gone is a foam when released onto the leaves; so, it's relatively easy to mostly get it just on the poison ivy.

Ralph

 

[irwin]

Another vote for Brush B Gone. Had it bad on a earlier home lot. Mixed per instructions and sprayed/soaked the plant leaves, several times in a couple months one spring/summer. Went out looking next year. Wasn't near as much, sprayed what I could find. Nothing after that and I lived there 5 more years.

I'm getting ready to do the same on my new place, got about 5 out almost 7acres with plenty of poison ivy!!

 

[Donman]

Last week a tree guy told me his mother always "fed" poisen Ivy one soup can of 12-12-12 fertilizer which killed it in three weeks. Sounded kinda hoakey to me. Anybody hear of that before?

 

[WayneB]

Just want to bump on this thread.

I have posion ivy on a few of our stonewalls and have spent the last twenty some years pulling it and carting it off.

Pulling it does work, but it is not an easy task. I have already started doing it this past week Have special gloves and wear old clothing. I am not bothered too much by it so I am one of the lucky ones.

 

[Tom_H]

Gotta use high concentration Round-Up. Don't try any disking or plowing as that'll spread it. Don't burn it as the poision gets into the smoke and becomes far more dangerous when inhaled, even from a distance and diluted. There have been SEVERAL stories on this board of friends and neighbors who died after breathing this stuff, and of others who spent a year in the hospital and were never the same. When one burns poision oak, ivy, or sumack, he is creating something almost as dangerous as toxic nerve gas.

 

[Efreet]

Thanks for all of the advice! It seems like that I may have to give Brush B Gone a try. Does anyone know if this might damage or kill my trees if I spray it nearby?

I found a site that recommends frequent brushhogging for diminishing the poison ivy density. I do not think I want to do that, since the poison ivy oils would never wear off the mower / rotary cutter deck.

However, I was kinda hoping for some encouragement for clearing up the soil with the boxblade. Would the poison ivy really survive the ripping up of its roots by the tines, and the leveling of the soil surface?

 

[MarkV]

Thanks for all of the advice! It seems like that I may have to give Brush B Gone a try. Does anyone know if this might damage or kill my trees if I spray it nearby?

I found a site that recommends frequent brushhogging for diminishing the poison ivy density. I do not think I want to do that, since the poison ivy oils would never wear off the mower / rotary cutter deck.

However, I was kinda hoping for some encouragement for clearing up the soil with the boxblade. Would the poison ivy really survive the ripping up of its roots by the tines, and the leveling of the soil surface?

I am afraid that ripping it up with the box blade will just spread it more. Keep on spraying, that is your best bet.

MarkV

 

[RichNJKubota]

Mowing slows the vines down but it still will creep thru mowed areas.

 

[dillo99]

spray spray spray. I have 27 acres and lots of poison ivy when I first arrived. I have contained it from the areas I used with regular spraying.

Also, if you can get on the land with the orchard, cut the vines that are growing on the trees (just cut them at the base). Poison Ivy produces berries which the birds eat. They then deposit seeds which is the primary method it hops from place to place. By eliminating the seeds you will help limit the spread onto your property. The other way it spreads is through the roots - but that's where the spraying comes in.

 

[hazmat]

Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

Is there something that I can plant that will out-compete poison ivy? I've tried hitting it here & there with roundup, but it seems to come back every year stronger than before.

The area is an iterface between woods & a grass strip along the road/sidewalk. It drops off steeply into the woods & has several stumps, so I can't mow it w/ the tractor (MMM). I hate to use a weedwacker - I tend to get the rash pretty easy if I contact the stuff.

Once I get my new tractor, I may dig the stumps out & try to fill it in a little - is that the best plan? If it stops raining, I'll take a pic.

Anybody got a goat they want to lend me?

 

[pennwalk]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

I have good luck with round-up poison ivy spray. It takes some time to work and I have to keep at it year to year. In the third year here there is very little poison ivy.

Chris

 

[MadDogDriver]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

I hate that stuff, including Poison Oak & Sumac.

Cutting it won't help and will make matters worse. You need to remove every bit of the plant--leaves, vines, and roots--or it will sprout again. That's easier said than done, especially if you're like me and can't get close to it without breaking out. I end up looking like a space man, long pants & sleeves, boots, and plastic gloves over cotton gloves when going after it (and then thoroughly washing the clothes afterwards). Or get someone who's not as allergic to it, like my wife .

If you want to go the chemical route, Poison-ivy is best controlled with an herbicide containing triclopyr, a woody brush-killer. It should be applied directly to the leaves of the poison-ivy, not soaked into the ground. When used according to directions, this herbicide should not injure established grasses, only broad-leafed plants. I've had best results with Ortho Brush-B-Gone (foam version if you can find it.) This may take several years to completely get it chemically.

Disposal of the plants is a must, because even the dead ones still can cause a reaction, because urushiol remains active for several years after the plant dies. Special disposal may be required by your local municipal regulations. Whatever you do, don't burn it!! The urushiol can spread in the smoke and cause serious lung irritation. UGH!

Good luck..

 

[Oleozz]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

I never get it but I have been plowing fields that have lots of poison ivy, the root system is unreal and because I had to remove roots from the plow I did get a bit on my arms and wrist. The best thing I've found is Roundup Brush and Weed Killer. It also does a good job on multiflura rose. A gallon cost about $100 but a gallon mixed with water makes about 24 gal. It does kill everything that you spray it on including the good plants so you need to use with discretion.

 

[MadDogDriver]

We've got the same discussion going on over in the Other Forums - Rural Living. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/100341-biological-chemical-mechanical-warfare-poison.html

Good ideas on both threads.

Easiest removal method I've found is with Ortho's Brush-B-Gone applied directly to the leaves. Have to reapply, but gone in about 2 years.

 

[MadDogDriver]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

The same discussion is taking place over on the Projects Forum.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/100306-poison-ivy-help.html

Good ideas there too.

 

[Tom_H]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

And since some may not know this (while others do), do not burn poision oak, ivy, or sumack. The oil gets into the smoke and if inhaled into the lungs, that's the worst way to get it. There have been SEVERAL reports here on TBN of friends and neighbors breathing this stuff and dying. One report was by a member who said he was hospitalized for a year and will never fully recover. Just think of all that stuff that gets on your arms and legs and then imagine the same thing completely covering the inner lining of your lungs.

 

[shaley]

Re: Biological / Chemical / Mechanical warfare on poison ivy?

Like MadDog said.
Urushiol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I swell up just looking at it.

 

[irwin]

I've got several areas just like these. First dose of brush-b-gone today, two big bottles mixed per directions, soaked the leaves but good. I expect to see signs of plant distress soon, with brown, dying leaves in less then a week.

Next week I'll look for more and respray.