Gardening Tip of the Month

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Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

Poison ivy is a very common problem in the Midwest and many other surrounding states.  Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky are no different.  Poison ivy is found in abundance in the tri-state area.  It can also be a nuisance to gardeners.  When a person comes in contact with the leaves, roots, flowers, berries, or almost anything that has come in contact with the plant often an itchy, red rash results due to the oil called urushiol on the plant.  Some people are more susceptible than others, but for many, it is a very unpleasant experience. There are a couple ways in which poison ivy can be eliminated, but first, it is important to know how to identify poison ivy.

The old saying is “Leaves of three, let them be” holds pretty true even by today’s standards.  For those kids and adults that spend time outside, it is a good rule to live by!  Poison ivy does have very distinct branching habits that result in three leaved clusters, as shown in the image below.  Poison ivy often forms a bush or is also known to form a climbing vine.

Tips on getting rid of poison ivy:

• One of the easiest, and most organic, ways to rid your property of poison ivy is to pull the plant out of the ground, making sure to get all the roots.  Before starting the pulling process, it is important to wear gloves (disposable would be best), a long sleeved shirt, and jeans so as to not have any exposed skin.  After pulling the poison ivy, put it in a sealable plastic bag and throw it away.  Never burn poison ivy!  The fumes from burning poison ivy are extremely dangerous when inhaled.
• Another organic method to getting rid of poison ivy is to smother it.  Cut the plant back to the ground and cover it with newspapers, tarps, cardboard, old carpeting, or mulch.  Note: it can take years for the urushiol to wear off the plants and out of the soil.  Be careful if you take the smothering agent off because there still could be traces of it present.
• Herbicides are also very successful in getting rid of poison ivy.  Roundup and Ortho Brush-B-Gon are great products that kill poison ivy.  The problem with using the herbicides, however, is that they are also great products that can kill other plants around the poison ivy if caution is not practiced.  These herbicides work through the leaves of the plant so be careful when spraying the poison ivy.  You do not want to spray good plants and shrubs next to the poison ivy.  Try to use it on a day when there is little or no wind.  For poison ivy vines that may be growing up a tree, you may want to “paint” it on as to avoid damaging the tree.

For any further information the identification of poison ivy or getting rid of poison ivy, stop by Delhi Flower and Garden Center and ask one of our growers!

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