Working In and Around Poison Ivy

[Dougster]

Interesting replies... all of them! Thank you for the valuable input!

It kinda sounds like this lady's plan to plow it under and cover it over (for lack of a better description) isn't going to work longterm without chemicals of some kind in the mix. I guess I'm wondering... should she have it sprayed before the physical work... or after it? ... or BOTH???

I don't want to tell her simply to spray again and be done with it. She has clearly tried that repeatedly and it has failed longterm. Is she onto something here with the physical work? Or is she on the wrong track???

Dougster

 

[AlanB]

I have been looking at goats for my place, there are several threads currently on here about it. May be something she would consider, maybe not applicable at all.

For me, as I add up the cost of the goats, $75 each, the solar fence thing, about $100, the wire aobut $50, the T posts and clips ???? and the hassle of being responsible for more live animals, the brush killer and a big sprayer look pretty appealing too me

But of course we would NEVER spray a customers house....................

 

[Oleozz]

There was an article in a local farming magazine about a lady here in Pa who grazes her goats on poison ivy and multiflura rose. They are both high in protein and goats thrive on it, so much so that she has to rotate them out every so many weeks and move them to a new area.
There is no way I would pull poison ivy out by the roots. I don't get it but after removing some roots from my plow I had a few spots on my wrist and arms. It has a very tough root system and somewhat twiney. The Roundup Brush and Weed Killer will kill it and it won't come back.

 

[MadDogDriver]

Dougster et al,

There was quite a thread going on awhile back, http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/100306-poison-ivy-help.html?highlight=poison+ivy, and covers the subject pretty throughly if you're still interested.

Basically, you've got to kill it chemically and it'll take a couple years to do so.

The urushiol will stay active even on the dead plants. Nasty stuff, especially if you're like me and are very susceptible to it. Interestingly, only humans are affected by the urushiol. If you're animals and/or equipment get into it you'll have to thoroughly wash them with warm/hot water and detergent to avoid transferring the oil onto yourself.

Google "triclopyr".

That's the active ingredient that eventually kills the poison ivy/oak/sumac group. It comes in a salt form known as "triethylamine", which is the active ingredient in Ortho's Brush-B-Gon. Many public highway departments use this for controlling roadside brush under the commercial names Access, Crossbow, ET, Garlon, Grazon, PathFinder, Redeem, Rely, Remedy, and Turflon. I'm not sure if any of those herbicides are available to the public, but the key ingredient is either triclopyr, triethylamine salt, or butoxyethyl ester. Apply it according to it's directions directly to the leaves.


As has been mentioned, the alternative to chemicals is to get yourself a goat herd and let them have at it.

 

[thatguy]

If you do happen to get into it and dont get it washed off quick enough - have your dr prescribe you some Triamcinolone. Its a rx steroid cream that if applied before the area dit will dry it up within a day or so..

When i have gotten into it without realizing it as soon as the area starts to itch I start using the cream.. Normally it starts to dry up very quickly..

there is no comparison between Triamcinolone and ALL OTC itch creams - this stuff does the job..

good luck, i dont envy you in any way having to deal with the ivy..

Brian

 

[Dougster]

Dougster et al, There was quite a thread going on awhile back, http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/100306-poison-ivy-help.html?highlight=poison+ivy, and covers the subject pretty throughly if you're still interested.

Wow! A super-combined-mega-thread!!! How did I miss it?

Seems to be a very popular subject... but no one seems to be plowing it under. Hmmmmmm...

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

good luck, i dont envy you in any way having to deal with the ivy...
Brian

Personally, I'm not too thrilled with it either. But paying work is paying work. And there ain't enough of it around right now that I can pick & choose only the "good" assignments.

Dougster

 

[MadDogDriver]

Nope........plowing does nothing for permanently getting rid of it, other than more seat time.

If you want to try physically removing it (not recommended), you must get all of it, every single piece of it, roots and all. Sounds like you have way too much to even consider that option.

 

[Dougster]

Nope........plowing does nothing for permanently getting rid of it, other than more seat time.

And a half day's (or full day's) worth of revenue!

If you want to try physically removing it (not recommended), you must get all of it, every single piece of it, roots and all. Sounds like you have way too much to even consider that option.

How far down do the roots grow? How much depth would have to be scraped away? There is a place to pull or push it and cover it over... and then there is loam coming in to recover the area. Would this really be such a worthless project??? Remember... this lady has fought the battle with chems and lost. This is her idea... not mine. The thought of working in and around poison ivy kind of creeped me out... but a paying job is a paying job!

Dougster

 

[irwin]

Personally, I'm not too thrilled with it either. But paying work is paying work. And there ain't enough of it around right now that I can pick & choose only the "good" assignments.

Dougster

Hey Doug you may be able to make this work for you..but she needs to help. Impress her with what you've read here, and on the links provided, and tell her you MAY be able to help, but no promises. Tell her it could take a couple of years but it's worth it. ////first SHE must spray AND spray with dilligence a few times a month, then after the majority of PI is dead you can plow it under for her.Make her understand there is no magic instant PI fix... she must spray often and thoroughly.... If it works out and she's happy with the results ...hey word of mouth, the best form of cheap advertisment....
I'm a believer in spraying ..it worked on my last piece of property, and I have no doubt I'll kill most of it here.. but it's because I hate this stuff and what it does..so it's a vendetta, the plant must die and I must do what must be done.....