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[granddi]

We just moved into new home and yard men told us we have poison ivy! This is new to us for sure. I know it is very dangerous but is there any way to get rid of this?

There does not seem to be much but I know it can spread. We contacted a guy that says he can pull it but it will come back but recommends treating each plant. Estimates about $350.00.

[jackthebear]

goats will eat it

seriously

I would pay that just to get rid of it

[GCR18]

Are you allergic to poison ivy? $350 sounds expensive.  I'd put gloves on, pull out the plants and spray the area.  Don't touch anything with the gloves, then toss the gloves.  Repeat as needed.  Ortho and others make "kill the poison ivy" spray.  

[jlkz]

With poison ivy you need to have the root dug out: pulling it may not get the entire root out:  that's why it will come back.  Check another service that will get the roots out.  It may be more expensive, but worth it....especially if you have ever suffered the consequences of getting its oil on your clothes and then skin.

If you choose to spray the ivy poison, do NOT let the spray splash the oil on the plant back onto you.  

This happened to me: couldn't see any splash on my tunic top.  Went to the bathroom and evidently got the oil from the bottom of the tunic on my abdomen.  Woke up in the middle of the night with that area on fire: scratching made it worse.  Took a visit to the doctor's office and had to wear loose- fitting clothing for a while.

DH decided one autumn to ride the mower and blow the leaves into a huge pile.  He then went back and forth over the pile:  a cloud of dust arose.  You guessed it: there was poison ivy oil on some of the leaves.  The skin around his eyes blew up so much that we went to the emergency room.  Last time for that method of leaf removal !

The oil can be blown by the wind onto anything.  Wear old clothes and gloves that can be tossed after wearing to be safe.

The poison ivy comes from a seed that the bird eats and then expels onto the ground.  It can then spread.

If you can, let professionals handle it....especially if there is a lot.  Good Luck.

[proudlyfromNJ]

Our yard men pull it out during their weekly yard maintenance.

[IamMrsG]

I know a man who stood downwind from a fire where they were clearing land.  There was poison ivy growing in the trees, and the smoke from the fire carried the contagion.  The poor man suffered incredibly. 

[Fressa]

We had this problem for years becasue we are surrounded by woods. Finally, we have a handle on the problem but we still have some new batches that show up each year. We use Round-up Poisen Ivy Killer spray. Make sure to wear clothing to cover all of yoiur skin, gloves and a mask. We did a healthy spray and then dug up the dead plants with our weeding tool (long handle). You don't want to do this on a windy day or after a rain

$350 sounds expensive to me but there are few people that will do this work. I know my friend paid $500 to have her front hill weeded. It all depends on what will work best for you. I might be incline to pay that if he pulls it up from the roots, then sprays with a killing spray. The further I can stay away from that stuff, the better.     

[Pooky1]

i bought round up for poisin ivy.   if you pull it out with gloves and throw them away.  then throw clothes in washer with hot water and shower. scrub off well. i new someone that pulled out poisin ivy and had on a leather jacket. and she got poisin ivy bad. the next year when she put that jacket on she got poisin ivy again from the jacket.good luck.

[kitcat51]

I also found poison ivy for the first time in my woods. Buy a product made for killing poison ivy, put it in a sprayer & you can do it yourself. Be sure to wear boots, tuck your pants in & wear a pair of gloves too just to be safe...I used all old stuff & after carefully taking it off I threw everything away. Don't ever burn poison ivy, the smoke can cause an awful rash, your face & eyes to swell horribly & you can get it in your lungs too...this happened to my son, the poor little kid suffered so much & he missed 7 weeks of school. Mind the saying...leaves of three let it be, leaves of 5 let it thrive.

[ValuSkr]

You can kill it yourself with a sprayer, vinegar, salt, and a very small amount of dish liquid. Worked like a charm for me a couple years ago when I had a 5' x 5' patch under a pine tree.  Just be careful where you spray as it will kill anything.  Clean up the dead plants in two or three weeks but be sure to wear protective clothing - the urushiol is still there and potent.

I don't like to use Round Up.  Its chemicals are bad for the environment and, adding insult to injury, it's expensive.  And it sure beats paying someone $350.