wear long sleeves, pants, cover any showing skin, and then dig it up.

If the plants are young, you can often pull or dig it. What you describe sounds big. I recommend one of the poison ivy killer sprays. They are very effective, and beat taking any chances. Just know that even when the plants are dead, you need to use extreme caution in cleaning up. Cover up like corn said and put all the leaves, stems, etc. in a plastic bag for disposal. It's a wicked plant. Be vigilant.

Not sure of the ages, but the red cedar climber has woody hairy vines. I only noticed this year.

I sparyed round-up on the climber(since I do not have the poison ivy spray handy), leaves are turning brown now. planning to pull it out in a few weeks. I will take care this one first, will attack this other one when this one is done.

Thanks for the advices.
-Suzy-

And be sure to shower immediately after dealing with the nasty stuff.

-Sharon (who learned the hard way)

I have a related question. I had poison ivy growing all along the side of the house, mixed in with some rose bushes and daylilies (of course -- couldn't be simple!). I c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y sprayed the ivy with Round-up. I've had to go back a few times to hit spots that I missed, but I think I got rid of most of it (I'm going to keep hitting it as I find it the rest of the summer). Someone told me to just let it be since it's still full of the noxious stuff, and that over the winter the dead leaves and stems would disintegrate and be harmless come spring. I figured what the hey, I just won't plant anything else in that area for now.
So here's the question: Is it true? Will the oils in the dead leaves be broken down by next year? Also, what of the roots? I know the oils are in them as well. If I dig up that area next spring am I going to come in contact with it? Thanks for any advise/experiences.

You could always try and find someone who is not allergic to come dig it out for you.

I don't have any reaction to it.

"So here's the question: Is it true? Will the oils in the dead leaves be broken down by next year? Also, what of the roots?"

The oils will remain on every part of the plant....it can even contact you through smoke if you burn it (been there, done that). The oils can remain on any other surface for 1 to 5 years.

There is a product on the market called Xanfel (you can get generic/store versions now, but it seems to work a bit better) which is the only thing I have found that truly removes the urushiol oil from your skin. It can even be used to stop the progression and dry up the blisters if you miss some spots.

Get a very cheap pair of dishwashing gloves when working around it...throw them away afterwards. Any tools you use will have to be washed with Poison Ivy wash (also available in stores).

The large vine on the tree might be able to be cut at the base of the tree and then Poison Ivy killer in a concentrate form can be immediately applied to the cut (open wound) surface.

Hope that helps!

Well, shoot, I was kind of afraid of that. I don't know of anyone who knows for sure they aren't sensitive to it. I didn't used to be -- when I was in high school I was out hiking with a friend and walked right through a big patch in shorts and flip-flops and never got it. It's been a few years (cough-cough) though since I did that and haven't pushed my luck since :). Maybe I'll just wear long gloves and plant perennials so I only have to dig the area up once!

I saw this on "Gardening By the Yard" last weekend. Paul suggested that you wear long sleeves and long gloves as well as some preventative spray you can get at the pharmacy. After you pull it out, throw your clothes in the washing maching and pop yourself into the shower.

I'm highly allergic to it. I can be downwind from it and still get it. Nasty stuff!

Heather

Suzy, be very, very careful with the hairy, woody vine. Around here, many people cut a slice out of the vine down near the base and just leave them be. Cut in the winter. Clean your saw with bleach or use a cheap handsaw and throw it away when you're done. It's probably better not to try to rip it off the tree - eventually it will rot off by itself.

If it tries to resprout at the base, you can spray the new leaves with RoundUp.

The product webkat5 refers to is actually called "Zanfel" and it's pretty effective. "Tecnu" is a wash that also works reasonably well, but doesn't help once you have the rash.

Thanks to all for your sound advices.

I am terrified of the plant as I brushed by one several years ago; I had the worse itches/scratches summer, what an ordeal.

The hairy vine one is completely brown now from the round-up spray, still need to work up the nerve to attack it though is dead. I must remove it as I am having companies with kids in few weeks; I will fully arm myself with protective spray, wash, Zanfel and Tecnu. One can never too careful with this wicked plant.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again,
-Suzy-

Woops! Sorry about the typo....Zanfel it is...

I work in landscaping and run across PI very often...wouldn't be without this stuff waiting for me to wash with when I know I have come in contact.

One of my coworkers had oozing blisters on her arms and, after listening to her suffer all day long, I drove her to the pharmacy for some of the CVS version of Zanfel...her blisters began drying up the next day and she didn't have further outbreaks.

Hope you are careful!! Whatever you do, don't touch your face...it is a difficult area to wash.