Poison ivy???

[Cassandra]

I have some that is growing up one side of my house. It's gotten tall and it beginning to try to grow into the vents up inder the eaves.

As far as I have seen, this is the only patch growing on the property. I have decided to pull it down while it is isolated.

I was not allergic to poison ivy until I was in my mid twenties. I have been planning my strategy all week. (shower cap, goggles, dust mask, gloves, etc...)

It looks like a few years ago (before we bought the house) that someone sprayed it with roundup or something and cut most of the vines off a couple of inches from the ground, but it is still growing and trailing up the house. I'm going to brave it and pull it down. I've already planned on lining five gallon buckets with black trash bags for disposal.

hmm... wonder if I should mark them with a biohazard symbol... My husband would think that was cool.

Cassandra

 

[ridgefire]

My wife is jealous of me. I don't react to poision ivy. When we first bought our home, there was poison ivy in back. She broke out so bad it was not funny, me not a mark, itch, red spot...nothing.

 

[patandchickens]

My wife is jealous of me. I don't react to poision ivy. When we first bought our home, there was poison ivy in back. She broke out so bad it was not funny, me not a mark, itch, red spot...nothing.

Heh. Hands up, everyone here who was once able to say "Ah, *I* am immune to poison ivy, bwahahaha, bow before my vine-ripping hands, poison ivy, and weep!" and now can't go near the stuff without breaking out in oozy rash and itching

(My experience from asking this question in college ecology field labs is that at college age, you get about 10-15% of the class raising their hands )

It's an acquired allergy that can pop up at any moment. Neenering Fate about it may not be wise


Pat, with hand raised high

 

[Cassandra]

hands raised. But I am jealous, too!

Cassandra

 

[aquarose]

check this link for an organic strategy for safely getting rid of poison ivy. also be kind to your garbage men. the oil can be on the outside of your garbage bags. http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=457

 

[whatnow?]

Mike McGrath is goofball, isn't he?

My problem with Mike's system is that I turn into the Rainman when I see ivy vines growing. I have trouble walking past it because I don't want the kids to get into it. I tend to just reach down and gingerly pull, tossing the unearthed heathens onto the ground. Or, if it is growing on a tree, I'll pull gently on the stem until the roots come out and then tie it off on the tree. Most of the big boys have been eliminated with lopping shears.

I used to keep gloves handy, but they just don't last.

 

[sparks]

:happy_flower:happy_flowerYIKES! I have never seen Poison Ivy as a vine. Here in the Great White North it does not do that! More of a ground cover that gets maybe 2 feet high. Are you sure that is what it is? I have a vining plant that looks like that and chokes out everything in its path. Not sure of the name. I just keep ripping it out.

 

[Reinbeau]

:happy_flower:happy_flowerYIKES! I have never seen Poison Ivy as a vine. Here in the Great White North it does not do that! More of a ground cover that gets maybe 2 feet high. Are you sure that is what it is? I have a vining plant that looks like that and chokes out everything in its path. Not sure of the name. I just keep ripping it out.

Poison Ivy is a vine, where you are, it runs just under the surface and pops up so you think you're looking at multiple plants. In many places it climbs trees, once it gets old enough, it blooms - the berries are great bird food, the birds eat it, the seeds go right through the bird and the bird drops a nicely fertilized package off somewhere to start another plant. The foliage is lovely in the fall - I know many don't appreciate it, but it really is pretty, all lit up in golds and reds. Too bad it's such a pest!