Might sound off topic, but it isn't...really...

13 years ago

We've lived in our house now going on 4 years and I now want to venture out into an area that is terribly overgrown in our backyard. It is a pie-shaped lot and I have plans to rip out every single thing back there (except the Lancifolia, of course) and replace it with lovely perennials (hosta and other non-viney plants).

Question for all of you-how would you go about doing this? Oh yeah-there is a ton of poison ivy out there as well and I'm allergic to it. I got it about five years ago and it took almost two months, three cortisone shots to get rid of it. Yuck!! Any help would be appreciated!!

PS-I'm attaching a pic of the sight and I'll TRY to attach a pic of my plans. :)

PPS-The backyard is even a little more overgrown since the pic was taken.

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (13)

coralb
13 years ago
Been there, done that. Having grown up in FL I had never encoutered poison ivy before I moved to NC. I found out that hard way that I am also very allergic.

Having been in your shoes I would suggest the following. I would invest in large amounts of Ivy Block and apply liberally before yard work. When you are clearing brush wear long sleeves and pants, socks and close toed shoes, and use vinyl (not rubber) gloves. If it is hot be very careful about wiping sweat off your face/head w/ hands or arms. The oils maybe on your clothes and you can transfer them to your face. Make sure to wash your clothes in warm water immediately afterwards. Also, you need to take a hot shower immediately afterwards. Liquid dish soap cuts the oils in poison ivy better than bar soap so use that.

I know this may sound like overkill to folks who are allergic but this is a small price to pay to forgo months of itchy, weepy, crusty sores.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
generic roundup mixed into shrub and vine killer.. blast the hole area ... EVERY TIME LEAVES reappear on the PI .... 3 to 4 times this season .. generic roundup is cheaper ....

all vines that climb... cut at about 3 inches up.. and apply 100% roundup .... to the cambian ... and leave the rest hanging there for a couple years.. then cut it up as high as you can reach.. do NOT burn it....

inside three years.. you should kill all the PI ....

and dont forget that the buried roots are also toxic ... i never figured out for how many years the toxicity remains ... hence the 3 year wait for me ...

then go plant in the area ....

should have started a few years ago.. eh???

all that.. and i am not aware that i am allergic... did it in case the kids are .... never did figure that out ....

any brush or small trees.. cut to ground level.. and apply 100% generic roundup.... which i get in 2.5 gals from tractor supply ... 41% formula for about 60$ .. i use an old mustard squeeze bottle for application and storage .. just drip on the green ring inside the bark.. the cambium ....

leave all tree droppings there.. its free compost .... please dont go raking it all away to make it pretty .. or you will have weeds coming out the ying yang.. whatever that is ... lol ...

ken
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i-like-to-grow
13 years ago
Find somebody a friend or such with a good size mower with a grass catcher to mow it down first lol..... then spray the heck out of it with round up or look at the FAQ on creating new beds here on the hosta forum... lay newspaper, compost over the newspaper... then mulch....and then take some precautions to protect your skin
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
if PI will survive 4 to 6 sprayings of roundup..

a few sheets of newspaper and compost is not going to help ... probably only encourage it ....

this is in no way, off topic ...

ken
lindac
13 years ago
I would not wholesale spray round up....just be selective on the poison ivy....you do recognize it when yous ee it don't you?
You have a lovely stand of May apples in the middle of that space....would be a shame to destroy that....would take years and years to regrow into a plot that size. and because of that I wonder if there are other woodland flowers that would be nice with hosta.
Unless you know what you are spraying, my advice is don't.
Now If someone can tell me how to get rid of Virginia Creeper that is crawling through one bed.....
Linda c
alyciaadamo
13 years ago
Is your spouse allergic? If not ask him to spray it for you maybe. but then don't touch his clothes.

I feel for you so much. I am so allergic I can catch it just by looking at it LOL. I have known since I was a child that I was allergic. The worst two times were once right before my wedding, my ram gave it to me. He was penned over by it and must have rolled in it because that's how I got it when we sheared him. I was wearing shorts if that gives you a hint where it was, NOT FUN!!! The second worst was when I was pregnant with my first baby I had it for 6 months it would just not heal.

If you have to be the one to do it I would suggest the same as Coralb and pick a cool day, wear long sleeves long pants, rubber boots you can disinfect or shoes you can put in the washer. When you put your gloves on use duck tape one your ankles and wrists.Throw your gloves away when you are done. Also I wouldn't mow it down as it could spread the oil and it is possible it could splash up even though you would never feel it. Like Ken said do NOT burn it EVER, it can send anyone near the smoke to the hospital. When you are done I would suggest putting EVERYTHING you wore directly into the washer with a strong detergent and then take a good shower.

It looks like it is a very large area, you can do it two ways. Try to find all the ivy and cut it down to the ground(trying not to rip or shred the leaves) throw the plants in a plastic bag and spray the roots with round up, then spray the area with the round up again just so you can be sure you got every plant. Next spring do the same thing. By the third spring it should be clear for good, you might even be lucky enough to have gotten it all this summer but you have to stay on top of it. Or you could just spray the entire area with round up several times during the summer until it doesn't come up at all. You will probably have to do this all next summer too. You'll have to use your own judgment when you can start planting.

http://landscaping.about.com/od/poisonivyplants/ht/removing_poison.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: poison ivy site
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
good point lindac ...

i meant ID everything and kill everything that is unwanted or useless ...

when i was not sure i was allergic.. i would put on long pants.. long sleeve shirt... gloves ... and tape shut ... and go to it...

after .... go to the washer... take them off inside out ..... put everything into it .. heavy soap and hot water ... and wash immediately .. its an oil.. so i figured that would take care of it all ... then up to the shower ....

never a problem.. or i am not allergic ... never really wanted to go roll around in it.. and find out though .. eh .. lol ...

ken
jenny_indiana
13 years ago
I am doing the same thing with our pie shaped lot that goes into the woods. I dress like alyciaadamo recommended. I started last summer and have gotten most of the PI under control. I spray with a generic round up as well. I'm also watching for native plants to see what good plants are coming up. I am also battling honeysuckle and Virginia Creeper. They are horrible -- they seem more difficult to control than the PI.

I began mulching, and I think that will also help with weeds. I used a preemergent in some areas,too.

Ken, I appreciate your advice about 100% generic round up. I think that is going to help a lot!
idiothe
13 years ago
I didn't notice... did anybody mention about the danger of burning poison ivy? If you kill it with roundup and end up with a bunch of dead, woody stuff and you have a burn pit, you might be tempted to burn the trash. Poison ivy oil can be carried in the smoke - and people who are allergic can have a reaction in the airways and lungs - highly unpleasant!

Oh... and for those who are a little smug about not being alergic to poison ivy... many people develop sensitivity. With many things in nature, exposure makes us develop resistance... but with some other toxins, each exposure makes us more sensitive.

I used to be pretty much immune to the little black fly (gnat) bites. After a couple of extreme exposures, I now can develop flu-like symptoms for even minor attacks. I'm much more sensitive to poison ivy than I was as a kid. And yellowjackets - after a very unpleasant incident, I respond much more strongly to even a single bite.
hosta_freak
13 years ago
OK,here's my take on the subject. I see poison ivy occasionally around here. I am alergic to it,but I have to actually contact the stuff to get infected. I have controlled it and gotten rid of it,with just Round-Up. The was a huge vine on one of my Oak trees a few years ago. I sprayed the leaves,maybe twice,and it disappeared and never came back. Since then,I have sprayed it whenever it appears anywhere around here,and it has always worked. My Humble opinion,for what it's worth. Phil
in ny zone5
13 years ago
Be careful with the poison ivy! years ago I must have been infected by PI or a sting by a long-leg hornet producing a terrible rash on underarms.

Same as Linda, I also want to point out at this good looking stand of may apple. I have that in my backyard too, also red trillium, foam flower and jack-in-the-pulpit.

Once you spray Roundup, all the wild flowers will be gone. One should look at the woods for a year to discover what is there. Hostas are helpful, but some wildflowers are gorgeous too and will take a lot of money and time to establish. I left one huge non-spreading fern for the last 23 years where it is. A row of azaleas and or rhododendrons in the back would be a real show in spring!
Good luck!
i-like-to-grow
13 years ago
no idea about the PI surviving so many round up sprayings.... and had no idea the toxicity would last three years.. my bad.. listen to Ken
indymom76
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks everyone for your kind responses!! I do know my poison ivy and if I'm unsure, thank goodness I married an eagle scout! Haha...Alycia-thanks for the PI website...Ken-I'll definitely purchase the round-up
berndynz5-thanks for the suggestions on the landscape! We love azaleas and have really enjoyed the ferns.

Might sound off topic, but it isn't...really...

Comments (13)

coralb

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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indymom76
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Might sound off topic, but it isn't...really...

Comments (13)

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