Poison ivy intermingled with perennials or shrubs

4 years ago

I've had a lot of poison ivy to deal with - mostly "out back" (unkept commons area behind me that I try to keep reasonably under control), and some in my garden.

I've gotten rid of what I can by pulling small plants, cutting larger vines at the base and treating the cut stems with undiluted triclopyr, or in some cases by spraying the pi foliage.

What's left is intermingled with plants so none of the above methods is feasible. (Either I can't find/reach the stem, or most often it looks like a few smaller plants growing up within the perennial or shrub I want to keep - I don't think I could pull and get the roots out.)

I'm thinking about using one of those foam paintbrushes to carefully paint the leaves I can reach of what's left. I'd probably dilute the triclopyr somewhat but not as much as I would if spraying.

Any thoughts on this method or better suggestions?

Featured Answer

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

4 years ago

I'm saying this as someone who spent yesterday pulling poison ivy from lilacs, shrub roses, and who knows what else. I'd try pullling it. My poison ivy wasn't really rooted inside the shrubs. The vines ran through the shrubs, but the main roots were not in the shrub crowns. There was some rather nasty detangling that had to be done, but the roots were coming out quite satisfactorily. Of course, I'm doing this not too long after a day of rain, so roots are pulling out fairly easily..

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Comments (7)

ruth_mi
Original Author
4 years ago
That's good input, @mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY). It poured rain yesterday, so maybe I'll go out and try pulling first. My soil doesn't lend itself to effectively pulling, especially in the two spots where I have the most pi, but it's worth a try.
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erasmus_gw
4 years ago
How do you pull it? I have poison ivy coming up in roses and I can't bring myself to pull it even with gloves on. I'd have to throw away the gloves and don't know if I could even get them off without touching some poison ivy oil. I'm very sensitive to it, it gets all over me, and lasts weeks. I usually spray what I can with brush killer.
Stephanie
4 years ago
@erasmus_gw my mom is very sensitive - she gets blisters - and so she pulls with thicker plastic garbage bags to use as a barrier and then throws them away (you can throw everything away, but she throws the bags away and throws the ivy in the woods far back behind the house). and then makes sure she goes inside and puts all her clothes in the washer immediately on hot water and showers to get the oils off. it has helped tremendously.
erasmus_gw
4 years ago
Your mom sounds like a kindred spirit! I have a poison ivy phobia practically. I read just this year that the berries can also be deadly to eat. But I think birds eat them...how else does it spread so much?
gawdinfever Z6
4 years ago
I've been fighting it on my fence lines for years. Basically, I only seem to knock it back for awhile. I just go in house immediately and wash with cold water and dawn. Never been a problem and I am somewhat sensitive to it and Virginia Creeper.
greenhearted Z5a IL
4 years ago
I use a plastic grocery store bag over my gloved hand, it is thin enough that I still have dexterity but keeps the oils off my glove. I have one spot near my spigot where it is pretty persistent and I just end up grabbing it though the grocery bag and then wrapping it up in the bag (almost like picking up dog um, business LOL)