Get rid of poison ivy quickly and naturally using these methods.
Poison ivy grows quickly.
Vines can grow as much as 20 feet in a season.
Credit:Getty Images
With all these creeping, crawlingpoisonous vines, eradicating them before they prove a larger problem is key.
It is native throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada.
It grows to 6 feet as a shrub.
It is still poisonous during cooler months.
Here are the pros and cons for different methods of getting rid of poison ivy.
Whichever chemical route you take, Kauffman urges home gardeners to read all labels and directions thoroughly before use.
Here’s how to spray your poison ivy:
Sometimes new leaves can sprout from the stumps of vines.
Spray new foliage that appears to make it kill off the vine.
For that reason, he prefers treatments that leave little to chance.
But this method isn’t very effective at removing poison ivy.
It kills the leaves but not the roots, and the poison ivy can grow back.
It can also be difficult to avoid getting the urushiol oil from the leaves onto your skin.
Prep Step
Dont neglect your gear.
Both burning and composting should be entirely avoided.
The urushiol that causes skin irritation can remain on clothing for years.
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is often mistaken for poison ivy.
Virginia creeper has five leaves, while poison ivy has three.
The vine of Virginia creeper is smooth, not hairy like poison ivy vines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Poisonous plants: types of exposure.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service.Poison ivy.
