How Do You Get Rid Of The Poison Ivy Plants?

How Do You Get Rid Of The Poison Ivy Plants?

Yes, it is possible to get rid of the poison ivy plants but it must be executed carefully in order to avoid being contaminated with urushiol which is very harmful to us human beings. But before doing so, you must be certain how a poison ivy looks including its defining characteristics so as to avoid harming other plants in the process. Next is you must arm yourself with the necessary tools and equipments to successfully eradicate the plants.

And most of all, you must make sure of your own safety before doing the process. You should wear long sleeves to protect your arms, use plastic gloves instead of cotton gloves to protect your hand since urushiol may soak with cotton, use shoes which cover your feet entirely with socks on, and if you want, to be really safe, put on goggles also. You may include wearing a mask also to protect yourself from inhaling the chemicals and herbicides which you would spray later on to the plant.

Actually there are a number of ways to get rid of the plants. One way is to manually pull the poison ivy plants. Yes, this may be risky since you might be contaminated with the urushiol but as mentioned above, you must wear the proper attire before heading out to eliminate the plants. Wear long sleeves, use gloves, etc. This method, called hand pulling is best done when the soil is moist, more likely after a rain so that you can pull the plants easily, bringing the roots. Make sure you remove the entire root for if not, the plants grow again because some roots are left on the ground. After, make sure you dispose the plants properly.

Put them all together in a plastic bag, tie it securely and label the outside of the bag with “poison ivy” so that people would be aware of the content and avoid mishandling it like getting it burned. Burning poison ivy is very dangerous since if you are able to inhale the smoke with the urushiol contents in it, you would likely experience systemic reactions which is fatal and life threatening. You could be headed to the hospital for that, plus the cost of hospitalization would be another pain, adding up the burden.

Another way to eliminate poison ivy is through the application of herbicides. Herbicides are effective in killing poison ivy though some plants still persist and grow back. That is why it is necessary to repeat herbicide application to successfully eliminate the plant. This is best done during May to July while the plant is still flowering. Apply the herbicide thoroughly to the leaves. Be careful in applying for you may accidentally spray some to the other plants which you don’t intend to include. From time to time, check on the plants to see the effects and if needed, apply the herbicides again to successfully eliminate poison ivy.

After doing these methods, remember to always take a shower after. Have a good scrub and do not forget to clean the bathroom after. Showering is preferred than using the tub. And remember to wash also the clothes and tools you used carefully to avoid having urushiol on your body.