Poison Ivy Infestation

[KurtisCummings]

A customer called today - it looks like he has a poison ivy infestation in the back and front yards. Red stem, 3 leaves, looks textbook. What would be the best spray for this case? The customer is highly allergic to the poison ivy, so I want to make sure in 1-2 treatments it is really knocked down, but the land owner does not want the yard to be burnt out (the backyard has very little, to no grass at all, mostly weeds). I am thinking a selective herbicide, what does everyone think? This is located in Indiana.

[picframer]

Lawn care business tips

Because our company can only use Organic products, I pass on Poision Ivy as the organic way is to basically arm yourself for battle, pull it out, bag and dispose of it, don't try to burn it as the fumes will do more damage to you than the plant itself. The company clients bring in will use either Round Up Pro or Ortho makes a bush be gone product, if your client is on a well, near a stream, lake, water or anywhere where run off could effect any wildlife or pets, personally I would encourage you to stay clear and let someone else take the risk. Just my personal opinon. Andy

[Little's]

You could do what I did last week. Cover yourself head to toe, cut it with chainsaws and chip it! haha. Ended up with it all over. Its ok though, I go through this every Summer. The pay makes it worth it.

[swstout]

Originally Posted by KurtisCummings

A customer called today - it looks like he has a poison ivy infestation in the back and front yards.

Red stem, 3 leaves, looks textbook.

What would be the best spray for this case?

The customer is highly allergic to the poison ivy, so I want to make sure in 1-2 treatments it is really knocked down, but the land owner does not want the yard to be burnt out (the backyard has very little, to no grass at all, mostly weeds).

I am thinking a selective herbicide, what does everyone think?

This is located in Indiana.

I asked one of the "Old Timers" here about it. He is 84 with a lot of experience. He says he sprays it with WD40, digs a hole, wears playtex rubber gloves to pull it out of the ground and then buries it in the hole he dug. Throw the gloves in the hole to.

Steve

One way of doing it is to go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy the "Round-Up: Poison-Ivy" and spray it. Then after its gone for the next few months, consult your client about spraying again so it won't come back next year. Spray in the fall, because if it is still alive at that point, it will start to store food for the winter, therefore having a chance to come back the following season. Avoid burning it because like someone else said, the you could inhale the fumes and it will swell up your throat and esphogus. Toxicodendron Radicans is nothing to fool around with. Heck I've gotten it twice already this summer. Well have a good one.

[justin_time]

GHOST BUSTERS !!!

[KGW09]

Not only wear gloves but also cover yourself up and wear googles and dust mask! When you're all done wipe down your tools with alcohol and throw your clothes away. I had a neighbor years ago die from this mess, had no pretection on, he burned and inhaled the smoke and ended up with rash over most of his body. He was highly illergic to it and it ended up killing him when his lungs couldn't take it anymore. What a way to go.... Or just avoid it all together!

[KGW09]

BTW Kurtis, how will you charge to kill and remove the ivy if you do the job?