Poison Ivy: What is it?
It appears as a vine with shoots that will grow in various locations. Poison ivy is commonly identified this way. As in the image above it can be identified with 3 leaves. Some of the leaves have blister-like appearances on leaves. When you walk through woods or your yard, it is important to look out for poison ivy.
Concerns
Near the fence line, poison ivy is present. I would like to prevent my kids come in contact with plant. A year before, my son had rashes on his face and arms. Pediatrician explained that it was from poison ivy. i wanted to prevent that from happening again.
What I did
First, I watched videos on how to mitigate plant. I started with physically going and pulling vine from ground. Before doing so, I made sure to be protected. I wore jeans, a long sleeve shirt and gloves. I disposed of the plant in a yard waste bag. Do not burn the plant as the oil on leaves can get into the air and create respiratory problems to whomever inhales the smoke. Also, do not dispose in compost bin. If you are removing poison ivy, always use protective gear.
Remediation
I had tape around my wrists to try and prevent skin contact with plant. Unfortunately, I still managed to come in contact with leaf. Both forearms came in contact. I used baking soda to stop itch. Pour the amount of baking soda you think you’ll need. Add a little water to it to create a paste. Apply the baking soda and rub paste onto the rash. The rash lasts about a week. To sum up, if contact with poison ivy occurs, act immediately to treat the rash.
What Worked
Triclopyr
It is a selective herbicide that mitigates broad leaf plants and does not kill grass. 2 oz of Triclopyr to 1 gallon of water. Apply either in the morning or in the evening when the temperature is cool. Also, you need 24 hours of no rain for it to take affect. Some people have success using Triclopyr for eradicating poison ivy.
Results
After a couple of days, leaves began to wither. After a week, the leaves began to turn brown. For stubborn plants like poison ivy, this was a good result.
Other broad leaf weeds or plants
I have issues with wild violets and wild clover. Some of wild violets and clover have began to die and others have not. I will have to reapply triclopyr and reassess. While these weeds are persistent, poison ivy has also been hard to eliminate.
Looking back, I should have used the herbicide instead of manually pulling the plant and going through the inconvenience of dealing with rash. It may take longer in the long run, but it is worth the time and effort. Be cautious and watchful for poison ivy in your yard.
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