Killing Poison Ivy - help please
Equipment
What can I use to kill poison Ivy without killing everything else?
2, 4-D amine with a adjuvant to penetrate waxy cuticle. Better yet, use 2, 4-D ester with same adjuvant in water.
When you say “everything else”, I assume you mean grasses. To kill Poison Ivy, a broadleaf killer is required. A product containing triclopyr would be best to spare grasses as well. The reason killing PI is difficult is due to waxy cuticle on leaf that prohibits uptake of herbicide. Normally, extra surfactant helps or addition of MSO.
Well.....I like using Natural Stuff, rather than all the chemicals out on the market....My formula is White Vinegar, Mixed with a little water, mixed with a little dish soap.....BUT, it will wilt and eventually kill anything it touches...
I killed a bunch last year with triclopyr I purchased off of Amazon. Picked up some surfactant from Tractor Supply. It killed that and a bunch of sticker bushes that were in the same area.
If you have a tractor supply near by they have the stuff you need. I like Brushtox. They also have other stuff that will kill poison Ivy.. Brushtox is very strong.. If you going to use a hand sprayer, I'd mix 1 gallon of water with 1oz of dawn dish soap first.. Mixing so as to not make to much suds,, after that put 2 oz of brushtox in..
Last year i was trying to kill multifora rose with this.. It worked real well. At one point I mixed 1 oz dawn to just 1oz of brushtox, it killed it just the same as when I used 2 oz.
Also if your worried about spraying on other stuff you could wear long rubber gloves like the ones you wear washing dishes tie a cotton rag to a stick, dip the rag in your mix and squeeze out the excess into the bucket so just not to drip when you remove from the bucket of mix and rub the rag on to leaves of the ivy. I'd mix it a little strong for this. say 2 oz to a half gallon, as a half gallon will go a long way. I'd have a sealable bottle for whats left, you can use it next time. Just make sure you label the bottle. Ed
Forgot the link to brushtox. https://raganandmassey.com/brand/brushtox/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw19DlBRCSARIsAOnfReiOIad4qPpJlNfxGwFeuFJQdlIKdWMJEktRxgKuVbnHk8i3zZ9alesaAtDUEALw_wcB
The least expensive way is to buy the generic glyphosate (aka RoundUp) and add dishwashing soap so that it will stick to the leaves. I've used 1-1/2" concentration and been successful by spraying midmorning on a sunny day. This maximizes the effectiveness of the chemical, which minimizes the amount that you have to use. Any other plants that are sprayed will also be killed.
The folks above suggesting triclopyr are correct. Triclopyr kills broadleafs and not grasses. But, triclopyr is fairly expensive.
Poison Ivy is my kryptonite. I knock it back around my house every year. I bought a gallon of Crossbow several years back and it has done a great job. "Crossbow is a non-selective post-emergent herbicide that targets woody plants and brush such as blackberries and poison oak, as well as annual and perennial broadleaves, while leaving grasses unharmed."
That's just great - Bowhunters using Crossbows to kill plants now. Vegan Xgunners... what's next, Virtual Airbow ? :)
Thanks everyone, appreciate the feed back.
Just an FYI, railroad workers in the Columbia Gorge have to fight track fires started by trains. Wind is always blowing there, and there is a lot of Poison Oak. Just in case you choose to burn it, don't be downwind of a poison ivy or oak fire unless you want some serious internal (lung) infections from the smoke.
Stick with the triclopyr. You can get it in many forms. If you buy some of the weaker versions you just add less water. I've tried 24d and it's not good enough. Obviously, roundup or other glyphosate products work well but will kill just about everything else. Go with a fairly strong mix of triclopyr and you will do well. It only kills broadleave plants and not grasses. I have ton's of poison ivy and this is what I use. I spray all around all of my treestands every year and it knock is back fairly well. If you have vines growing up on the trees, chop it with a machete and treat the stumps. Even the dead vines can get you. They don't have to have leaves on them to reek havoc. If you touch anything, be it vines or leaves, scrub your hands, arms, legs, whatever with soap and water, extensively. If you can wash the oil off of your skin, you will be alright. You can also get it from hunting clothes months later if they aren't washed. I used to have real problems with outbreaks until I learned about scrubbing off the oils from the plants.
If you have dogs, they can bring it to you also, from oils on their coats and feet.
I’ve had good luck with the herbicide Crossbow. What I like most is the relatively fast speed of results. You can spray one day, then come back the next day and identify anything you missed. The dying vegetation will already be evident. With gly it sometimes takes 7-10 days to show results. Other brush killers may be similar but so far I’ve not had reason to use them.
Get some goats. They love eating it.
I use various Ortho poison ivy killer and it's works on 90 percent. He kills poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, among other dangerous and irritating weeds. I recommend it. Also, there are other toolspoison ivy killers that are on a par with Ortho, but differences in composition and action spectrum are possible. You can choose for yourself what you need.
I usually just take the machete and whack the vine right where it comes out the ground.
crossbow will also kill trees
If it gets on your skin - Jewel weed is the “anti-venom” to poison Ivy. It grows natural and many folks make it and sell the salve. It works great - takes away the itch and reduces the blisters. Usually has it gone in 2-3 days for me.
Scooter recommends an internet fairy tale that won't kill plants but will sterilize the soil.
From an internet search...
"Some folks have had luck with this remedy: Combine 1 cup of salt and 1 gallon of vinegar in a pot and heat to dissolve the salt. Allow it to cool, then add and 8 drops of liquid dish soap and put the mixture in a spray bottle. You can spray the poison ivy or pour it directly on the plant.
I believe it is also legal;-)
Because it's on the internet, it must be true.
The vinegar thing doesn't kill the plant, just the leaves. The roots remain and the plant will come right back. It's a misguided attempt by people who think herbicides are terrible and anything they have in their kitchen is "natural" and must be ok. It's not any more effective than just cutting the plant and it's bad for the soil.
“VILE WEED!” ;-)
I used to get it terribly when I was younger! : (
Skook,
You're on the Internet, so you must not be true?
Very interesting to read the spectrum of opinions offered up. I think all sides have a representative in the discussion. I even read tow posts that appear to be written by professionals or people with good technical back ground.
Vinegar may be legal but functions very poorly. It is a weak acid and functions by defoliating or reducing the effectiveness of photosynthesis. As JSW recommended, Garlon (active ingredient Triclopyr) is very effective on poison ivy and many other broad leaf plants. It works very well in spring and early summer and more effective than glyphosate. But it is almost 3 times the expense of glyphosate. Glyphosate works best on large established shrubs and vines later in the growing season as the plants transition to seed production. When you are out shopping for herbicide you should look at the active ingredient and the concentration of it. If you have any amount of property, buying a jug of concentrate is the best route to go. The water base Garlon 3A that I use requires a commercial license. Garlon XRT is oil base and you wont need a surficant. It is a general use herbicide and can be purchased on line and through specialty companies by the general public. I have never seen it in a big box store. If you read the fine print you will see it in the Roundup poison ivy flavor as well as in Brush-B-Gone. It is 60% active ingredient so 3-4% of the product in your spray will give you excellent control. For your investment of approximately $200 in chemical you can easily treat 3-4 acres. If it is creeping out on your lawn or field you wont kill the grass. Since I do this work all the time I routinely use Garlon, the more expensive chemical, be cause it does the job best and is most efficient. In the long run I think that gives my customer and I the best value. In order to be licensed, pesticides must be proven to break down in the environment and not pose an undue risk to those using them assuming proper safety equipment and be effective for the proposed use. all these home remedies don't have to achieve these standards. While vinegar is touted as a possible remedy it is known to be ineffective on most mature plants except new seedlings.
good hunting to all !
Glad you chimed in, blue spot. Always informative when you post. I’ve read where guys will mix Garlon with diesel fuel. Any thoughts on that?
