How to get rid of English Ivy without chemicals?
Alyonka
11 years ago
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Alyonka
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Getting rid of Ranunculus ficaria without chemicals
Comments (2)Ranunculus ficaria is hard to control organically because of the tiny tubers/bulblets it leaves all over the place. Most people tackle it with systemic herbicides, but that misses the point here. The tubers/bulblets can survive solarization, light exclusion, etc...the tops die quickly and the tubers/bulblets chill out underground waiting for next spring. It's a "sneaky" spreader. Digging them up can work for small infestations, but it becomes a royal pain (a lot of work, and tons of followup picking) to take care of larger patches. Light exclusion really doesn't take care of the infestation...it is a very low grower, so a thick mulch can keep it from thriving/competing, but it will generally "spring back" to life without a mulch even if it hasn't grown for years. This plant was introduced in NC because some people thought it was a "cute little plant"...it's becoming a hell of a pest, though not a top invasive. It's just so damn hard to get rid of (even with systemic chemical control, because the tubers/bulblets persist and are strong). It's a stronger pest in shorter-season climates further north than NC where it can persist in prime growing time where spring seedlings need time to compete and every week is important. This post was edited by nc-crn on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 18:14...See MoreGetting Rid of Poison Ivy Plant
Comments (10)First of all you want to be sure its poison ivy, there are plenty of look-alikes. I've found that spraying works best in the fall before the leaves have turned yellow. But I sometimes spray in the spring also it all depends on if I have RoundUp on hand or if I feel like going to the store to buy it. The chemicals in RoundUp work by getting inside the plant and killing tissues, so just puting it on the surface of the leaf will transmit it into the plant. But, it would take many applications to really damage a robust plant like poison ivy this way. Some people slit the vines stem and paint on the RoundUp like Tammy said and others swear by cutting the vine completely through and securing the cut tip into a small jar of RoundUp so that the plant takes massive amounts of the poison into its roots. I don't think you have to work THAT hard. Just be warned that RoundUp doesn't always show an effect right away, it may take a few days before the plant collapses and even if the plant looks dead you have to be very careful with the dried vine and leaves. The sad news is that poison ivy thrives in this area and no matter what you do now, you will have this problem again and again in the future. Bird love to spread the berries around and the vines send out runners far and wide. You will never completely get rid of it. RoundUp is the only chemical herbicide I use in my yard and I rarely use it. It is relatively safe to use but does a lot of damage to amphibians (frogs and salamanders) and my yard is full of them so I most often pull the poison ivy and honeysuckle rather than spray for it. I keep a pair of washable garden gloves handy and make an evening of it going around the yard pulling baby vines and putting them into a trash bag to throw away. I slather on an extra thick layer of cheap sunscreen just in case the leaves ever touch me and when I am done yanking them I go inside and scrub my arms and hands. I never get poison ivy rash after I go out pulling the plants (probably because I am extra careful) but I do get it constantly from just working in the garden. And from letting my 60 lbs hound sit in my lap to watch tv - I get it from her feet....See MoreGetting Rid of Poison Ivy
Comments (13)Mulchwoman, Poison Ivy (PI) is a real pain to deal with (been there done that, still doing it!), twenty years later (birds love the seeds and spread them around with organic fertilizer). Some effective controls include: white vinegar (younger plants), Round-up (for vines smaller than a pencil), and Brush Be Gone (for vines larger than a pencil). The hairy vines are always capable of causing the rash (even in the middle of winter). PI rash is caused by Urioshol (an oil secreted by the plant-a natural defense against browsing (it si also spread by family pets coming into contact with leaves/oil). Urioshol can be removed from the skin with hot water and (old fashioned) brown soap (I use Kirkman's); Technu ( a commercial product) is also very effective at drying up the oil (dry skin results) and ameliorating the severity of a rash (if there is no broken skin from scratching). If a rash is bad, or has been scratched too much, or has resulted in broken skin (from scratching), call your MD! Control of PI plants takes time, patience, and diligence. It is an annual chore for me, I use Round Up, one or two times a year(the really big vines are gone)only the smaller ones (and seedlings remain)(everyone in my family gets the rash, if exposed to the oil- - - so I work at it and bend the Organic/IPM guidelines. Dad...See MoreHow do I get rid of English Ivy growing uncontrollably?
Comments (2)I read once that certain types of ivys and climbers should be cut back or removed at certain times of the year because they're not always in growth at the same time. It also said that it's best to try and remove them when they're not in their growth cycle, or should I say, when they're in their dormant period. I thought it was odd too, but hey, the book was right. If you can take a section to a reputable nursery where someone actually knows the plants, they may be able to help you identify which one it is so that you may take it from there....See Moreglib
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