Poison Sumac on my Chainsaw

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And in the future, I would hit the sumac hard with Weedmaster or Crossbow.)</font>
Yes, by all means try to kill it out, but don't forget that killing the plant doesn't omit the effects of the toxin if you get it on you. PI and PS can be effective for a year after cutting it and can still be there on a killed plant, so treat with the same caution.
John

 

[Pilot]

About bleach: Bleach is used for decontaminating everything after a chemical weapons attack & it supposedly work for any chemical weapon out there, so it should work on sumac.

 

[vaj]

it was mentioned but seems overlooked but Zanfel is very good for you guys that are highly allergic like me. takes away all the itch right away and for most people dries it right up. I am so allergic it doesn't dry mine up but with the itch gone, I can't even trell I have it. It is expensive but worth a try if you get it bad.

never tried tecnu

 

[Mike52]

I never ever use a chainsaw on PI. I generally take a two inch chunk out of the vine about 2 feet from the ground (carefully), then paint it with the nastiest brush killer I can find. Wait a year to let it dry out and let it fall down and crumble up on its own. Best to do this in the fall when the plant sends nutrients down to the roots.

Can't bury it, can't burn it, can't saw it, can't chip it....

 

[Mike52]

one other thing.... the key to prevention is to use a "silicon glove" type of cream to block your pores prior to contact. Avon sells it, Tecnu has it,....then use Tecnu to wash after wards....

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I never ever use a chainsaw on PI.)</font>

Of course, that assumes that you recognize the fact that there is poison Ivy (or Oak or Sumac) in the first place. And had I recognized the fact, you can bet I would have taken more precautions (such as at least wearing gloves).

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I generally take a two inch chunk out of the vine about 2 feet from the ground (carefully), then paint it with the nastiest brush killer I can find. Wait a year to let it dry out and let it fall down and crumble up on its own. Best to do this in the fall when the plant sends nutrients down to the roots.)</font>

Sounds like a great plan. However, In this case I don't have the luxury of waiting for the vines to die. I wasn't trying to pull vines out of the trees, I needed to cut the trees down... and missed the fact that the brush and wild grape vines I was cutting also include poison "something".

John Mc