Working In and Around Poison Ivy

Dougster · Jul 2, 2007

irwin said:
Hey Doug, was wondering how ya made out. {snip} Do let us know how you make out....

Yeah, the GF (and other work) demanded that I do this job right after an Independence Day long weekend mini-vacation up in Maine that the GF has been planning for months. She was not about to let poison ivy ruin her summer vacation plan.

Dougster

GA WTDeer · Jul 5, 2007

Are you alive or should I call HASMAT??Clay

irwin · Jul 5, 2007

According to his next to last post he starts on it 7-9-7

Dougster · Jul 5, 2007

irwin said:
According to his next to last post he starts on it 7-9-7

Correct!

On vacation in Maine through Sunday... then the fun begins!

Dougster

anthonyk · Jul 6, 2007

Speaking of the Round Up approach, a pond expert I know recently told me that you can actually spray that stuff around trees and plants, even hitting the bark, as long as it doesn't touch the leaves. He also said that once it touched "ground" it became inert and harmless.
I found that amazing. Has anyone else ever heard or tried that?
I mean, can you actually spray roundup up on the poison ivy growing all over your trees and if it gets on the hard bark it won't bother the tree???

anthony

riptides · Jul 7, 2007

anthonyk said:
Speaking of the Round Up approach, a pond expert I know recently told me that you can actually spray that stuff around trees and plants, even hitting the bark, as long as it doesn't touch the leaves. He also said that once it touched "ground" it became inert and harmless.
I found that amazing. Has anyone else ever heard or tried that?
I mean, can you actually spray roundup up on the poison ivy growing all over your trees and if it gets on the hard bark it won't bother the tree???

anthony

Could be true, the SO just sprayed all our trees (huge silver maples) earlier this year. The ivy is dead, the trees are still here. The ivy is crawling up from the splits in the limbs.

I got ivy e v e r y where. Silos, rose bushes, junipers, maples, shacks, buildings, fence posts. Sheesh, you'd think this is an ivy farm.

-Mike Z.

kubota4me · Jul 8, 2007

Didn't have time to read through the whole thread but just thought I would add a couple of thoughts. There was a case of a woman that raked up a bunch of "weeds" and burned them. She inhaled the smoke and it was from poison ivy. Her lungs started to "weep" from the allergic reaction to the poison ivy and despite medical intervention, she died from basically drowning in her own secretions. I've also heard that each and every successive poison ivy exposure will be worse because of the allergic reaction your body has to it. Something I've tried was what Dr. Weil (that bald Dr. with the white beard you see on public TV once in a while) recommended and that was to rub witchhazel, a relatively cheap astringent, over any affected areas of your body, or areas you suspect you might have had contact with the oil of the plant. I tried that last year when I had a little coming on and it worked to my surprise. However, in the past I usually end up at the dermatologists office getting a shot of cortisone or other cortico steroid. My leg once had it so bad that my skin looked like the elephant man and I thought I might eventually require skin transplant. Bottom line, it is some NASTY stuff, but like everything else your best protection is to become educated regarding it. My biggest challenge is keeping my two golden retrievers from running through it. Thank the Lord I have none that I've found on my property thus far.

Dougster · Jul 9, 2007

Seems we have had nothing but rain here lately... so much so that I have considered building an "arc"... and now my soaking wet mini-vacation is over and it is time to attack the poison ivy plow-under assignment. Not sure if the rain helps or hurts the situation. I am visiting the jobsite at 8AM to have a look.

Based on the posts here, I am not taking any chances. I am going in with a full "anti-C" approach... at least from the waist down... and have made arrangements to pressure wash the red beast... with soap... right at the jobsite.

Dougster

10 AM Update: RAINED OUT!!!

-d

Dougster · Jul 10, 2007

GA WTDeer said:
Are you alive or should I call HASMAT??Clay

Well, so far I am still alive and no funny itches or skin problems appearing yet.

Plus I am still breathing. Other than the insane heat and a bit of a sunburn, it was not so bad.

Gotta go back to finish up the job tomorrow, but most of the highest PI exposure potential is behind me now. The rest is mainly leveling and raking-out the loam... and then soapy, high pressure cleanup of the tractor, attachments and 3-point implements. The exposed "anti-C" clothes are all getting thrown away!

Just like I thought... a piece of cake!!!

Dougster

irwin · Jul 10, 2007

Dougster said:
Well, so far I am still alive and no funny itches or skin problems appearing yet. Plus I am still breathing. Other than the insane heat and a bit of a sunburn, it was not so bad.

Gotta go back to finish up the job tomorrow, but most of the highest PI exposure potential is behind me now. The rest is mainly leveling and raking-out the loam... and then soapy, high pressure cleanup of the tractor, attachments and 3-point implements. The exposed "anti-C" clothes are all getting thrown away!

Just like I thought... a piece of cake!!!

Dougster

Good for you Doug ! I mighta called it off today,,, MAN was it hot and steamy in good ole New England ...