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Poison Ivy management in the middle of nowhere

2663 Views 25 Replies 17 Participants Last post by PscyclePath, Jul 14, 2009

TwistedCrank

Discussion Starter · Jun 17, 2009

I've got a trail that cuts through a poison ivy grove. This has not been a problem untill this year - the stuff is going nuts and is starting to grow into the trail.

The section is 5 miles from the nearest trailhead and there is about 100 yards of the stuff.

I'm itching just thinking about it.

My question is: Does anybody have experience using weed control on poison ivy? Do you use a herbicide like Roundup? How do you apply it? How do you carry it in 5 miles or so?

Sage advice is welcome. TIA.

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

dubthang

· #2 · Jun 17, 2009

I'd be interested to hear what others suggest too. I know that even when it's dead, the oils are still toxic and spreadable. When I used to landscape, we would burn the stuff or physically remove it by hand. Tech-nu (sp?) is great for removing the oils from the skin and clothes. It is available in pharmacies.

Fattirewilly

· #3 · Jun 17, 2009

I've heard that breathing poison ivy smoke can be really bad.

We use Round-Up. Check w/ your land manager about herbicide before using. I mix in a one gallon sprayer, which could be placed in a back pack.

I also cut every large ivy vine I find growing up nearby trees.

MyOtherBrotherL

· #4 · Jun 18, 2009

Fattirewilly said:
....I also cut every large ivy vine I find growing up nearby trees.

I was told that cutting those big vines growing up trees was a BAD thing. Cutting causes the plant to sprout in multiple directions from the bottom.

Yes?? No?? Maybe??

cjohnson

· #5 · Jun 18, 2009

two options

1. Back pack weed sprayer (google it, or northern tool) can be carried while biking. Weed B gone herbicide will knock it down as will round up. both may require two applications.

2. pull a bob yak trail with extra water for refills and/or a tank sprayer.
3. options! herbicide in one gallon containers, ready to spray, with built in pumps can be bought. carry on bob yak trailer.

plaindave

· #6 · Jun 18, 2009

Roundup or Weed B Gone will not kill poison ivy. You need an industrial strength product for woody bushes. Head to a farmers supply store (Tractor Supply Co) and they can help you out.

One thing I do here when I find vines growing up my trees (and house, fence etc..) is to cut the vine and pour a small amount of the herbicide directly on the cut end. It will carry it to the roots and kill it completely.

dubthang

· #7 · Jun 18, 2009

^^^^
That is correct. Round Up and similar won't kill poison ivy. This is why we used to burn it (yes, it is dangerous to breathe, we used respirators) or removed it by hand. Commercial landscape supply stores (like Lesco) sell very strong herbicides to kill poison ivy. It may take more than one application. I wouldn't recommend this for a wooded area as this stuff could easily impact the surrounding environment.

TwistedCrank

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 18, 2009

Thanks for the replies folks. I looking at a pressure sprayer, some good chemicals and a Bob trailer. Good times on the trail chaingang!

The autoadvertising is working - look at the advert that posts up on this thread.

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cjohnson

· #9 · Jun 18, 2009

sure it does.

After I sprayed my poison ivy patch twice with weed B gone it turned brown , disappeared and I haven't seen it in 6 years. I guess I've been lucky.

Active ingredient is 2,4,d. Same result for the round up used in a differ location. I think I've also used brush b gone with success.

A brief search shows some herbicides being marketed specifically for poison ivy if a person wants to be sure.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/p...&branPage=roundup&itemId=cat50102&id=cat50004

coldsteele

· #10 · Jun 19, 2009

Brush b gone works really good if you put a teaspoon of ivory dish soap in with a gallon of mix.

dubthang

· #11 · Jun 19, 2009

^^^^
Really? Does the soap help break through the oil to kill the ivy?

cjohnson

· #12 · Jun 19, 2009

acts as a surfactant.

breaks the surface tension, "makes water wetter."

LititzDude

· #13 · Jun 19, 2009

Ortho Max works well.

kace kool

· #14 · Jun 19, 2009

poison ivy vines grow up the tree and in mature cases sprout flowers in the spring dropping little seed type things and it makes a poision ivy patch on the ground all around the tree, the next year. COPPER SALFITE is poision to all plants and trees, spread this around and in the patch and it will die. be careful not to get get it near any trees or it will kill them...

santacruzer

· #15 · Jun 20, 2009

Boy, this post caught my attention, I'm working on a 1.6 mile extension of a trail and at least a mile of it is though knee high poison ivy. I have made three trips through it with round up to make a path for my sacrificial trail mower, I'm about to walk out the door to do some cutting now. What I have found is that the poison ivy has to be actively growing for the herbicide to have the desired effect (no drought)

Round Up for poison ivy...Probably the same as regular roundup but a steeper price

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Loren_

· #16 · Jun 21, 2009

If you're in an environment where you can't (or shouldn't) use herbicide and need to manage ivy by trimming and cutting, I've found that the power scythe attachment to a Stihl kombisystem works well. Kind of a short, heavy duty hedge trimmer with a skid plate on a long pole. It will cut through a 1 inch vine on a tree without damaging the bark, trim ground cover flush, and won't throw Urushiol oil all over you in the process.

gmcttr

· #17 · Jun 21, 2009

I'm not allergic to it so I just use my Stihl line trimmer and let it splatter where it may.

danwrzesinski

· #18 · Jun 21, 2009

this might not be good for the environment but my dad always would say when he lived in Poland on a farm, his family would just pour some gasoline on it and everything would die.

dubthang

· #19 · Jun 21, 2009

gmcttr said:
I'm not allergic to it so I just use my Stihl line trimmer and let it splatter where it may.

You are allergic to it. The more you are exposed to it, the weaker your imunity to it gets. Eventually you will get it. It's just a matter of time.

gmcttr

· #20 · Jun 21, 2009

dubthang said:
You are allergic to it. The more you are exposed to it, the weaker your imunity to it gets. Eventually you will get it. It's just a matter of time.

That's what they tell me, but my immunity system has held on for 56 years and a lot of exposure. I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.

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