A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Looks like my new house has poison ivy as well!

Hi everyone,

I posted a few weeks back with a list of plants I couldn't identify. Everyone was very helpful in giving each one a name so I could look up how to care for them. In my search for other plants to list I must have run across some poison ivy. I'm usually VERY careful about avoiding it since I am highly allergic. Needless to say, I ended up with a rash from head to toe. Didn't want anyone to think I took your great info and dashed off without a thank you!

Once I get the nerve to venture back into the unknown, I plan to take some pictures of the remaining mystery plants. Hopefully I can locate the itchy culprit and get my hubby to kill it!!

Joanne

if you are highly allergic, you may have reacted to some plants oil or sap other than poison ivy, beware and wear gloves when you prune.

actually, if you're that allergic to the poison ivy, you should wear long sleeves and long pant and make sure you have socks/shoes on too - on top of wearing gloves!

the oil and/or sap can be transferred to other plants that are close by...and you can get it on you from touching the other plants! you can also get the oils on you from petting your dog or cat after it's been in contact with the ivy.

might be a good idea to keep some clothes specifically for doing the gardening...and always wash them seperately from your regular clothing - that oil is hard to get rid of !!! (and you don't want to contaminate your good stuff)

the poison ivy doesn't bother me at all - thank goodness because it was all through my yard when i moved here...

i DO react to some other things that are here...just a little bit a hives that go away within a day...wearing gloves and/or long sleeves/pants does make a difference!!

to get rid of the poison ivy...if you hubby isn't allergic to it, have him take care of it before you go back out there!!! what i did (and i know some will give me grief for it, but, hey! it worked!!) was i poured some gasoline on it...right on the roots.

i didn't go overboard with it - didn't want to do too much damage to the environment!!

just about an ounce or two...you've got to get it right on the roots. then after about a week, the plant is dead and can be dug up. don't just pull it...dig it up so you get all the roots - the thing is pretty darn hardy and can (and did, for me) come back.

oh, and just so you know...poison ivy can grow as a vine or a bush and it can send out shoots and rhizomes - so you'll probably still have a problem next year too (like i did). once i did the treatments the second year, that was it...i've not seen it since!

poison ivy facts/fallacy


once it's all cleared out this year...go have some fun with all your other mystery plants!!

Thanks for the replies. It never occurred to me that our 5 month old puppy could be the one romping through the poison ivy. We have 5 acres of mostly woods and only found the ivy in a few places so far. It makes sense that he might have brushed up against it and gave it to me. He won't be coming back in the house until hubby comes home and gives him a bath!

I never heard of using gasoline to kill the ivy but I'm willing to try anything at this point. I couldn't stand getting another bad case like this... I'm still suffering from it 3 weeks later.

I also appreciate the advice about how other plants can cause similar reactions. I hate gloves while I'm gardening but will make sure to use them from now on. Long sleeves and pants will also be a must. Can never be too careful!

Joanne

jo, my sis has bad reaction to the poison ivy, too. we thought we'd never see a worse reaction. until my niece, that is...she had it SO bad when she was a toddler (they never figured out how she got it because they certainly didn't let a 2 year-old roam the woods by herself and there wasn't any near the campsite - perfect example of the oils being transferred by someone else or one of the dogs).

yeah, 3-4 is how long it takes for the rash to disappear for my sis and when my niece had it.

oatmeal baths will help sooth the itchiness...either regular rolled oats thrown in a warm tub or you can buy the 'oatmeal bath' stuff at the store.

if you really don't like the gardening gloves, try those form-fitting surgical type things - either latex or other material...they're almost like wearing nothing.

I just discovered this post and had to reply. I mowed lawns for a big company for several years. There isn't a lawn around here that doesn't have poison ivy! There are a few things you need to do to prevent reinfecting yourself with the poison ivy oil.
1. Wash your hands with dish washing liquid after handling your shoes, clothes, garden tools, lawn mower, etc.
2. Don't walk through your house with the shoes on that you use to mow or garden.
3. Wash your door knobs, phone, refrigerator handle, toilet flush knob, cigarette lighter, etc. at the first sign that you are getting a poison ivy, oak, sumac rash. You can pick up more of the plant oil from items you have touched. (I had it all over my ears from my phone!)
4. Check out a great product called TechNu Poison Oak and Ivy Wash. It's terrific stuff! You rub it on the area where you are breaking out for 2 minutes, then rinse it off. You will be amazed at how quickly the rash stops itching and starts healing. If it starts to itch again - wash it again with this stuff. They also make a gel that helps with itching and a spray that is supposed to prevent reaction when you come in contact with the plant. (The phone company workers who climb poles with poison ivy growing on it swear by this stuff too.)

Hi Stormy,

Great info! My 1 year old now has poison ivy, probably also from the dog, and I was looking for something to help with her itch. We are trying to find a way to keep the dog out of the ivy without ruining the open feel of the property. An electric fence might be the answer although I always thought that was cruel. Getting my husband to agree on ANY type restraint will be an accomplishment!

Joanne

I know what you mean! I have a yellow lab, and right now I have poison ivy on the insides of both knees. We went camping and didn't bathe him when we got home. The next evening we had a nasty storm. He's afraid of storms and jumps up on my lap when I'm sitting in my recliner. He's so big that I have to put my legs up on the arms of the chair, and he sits between my legs. Thank goodness I was wearing long shorts!

Since then I have washed the chair (leather) and bathed the dog.

There used to be a vaccine for poison ivy, but they banned it because it caused too many side effects. I wish they would develop a new one. When I get it the blisters run with this nasty yellow liquid. The Technu stuff usually stops that right away, but sometimes I have to do it twice.

You should be able to find the whole line of Technu products at WallyMart. The labels are white and green.

Oh, by the way!!!! Don't give your daughter baths unless you are sure that she has no poison ivy oil on her and the tub has been cleaned from your showers. The oil will float on the bath water and then cling to her skin, spreading it all over. Showers are best. In fact, we don't take baths in the summer because we work daily outside and with equipment that can have the poison ivy on it.

I had no idea we should avoid giving her a bath. I'm hoping the oils are gone now that she has had one every day since the rash showed up. Doesn't look like it did any damage this time but I'll be sure to remember if the kids get it again. Thanks!!

Joanne

This seems to be a little spot where folks are verrrry familiar with poison ivy...since I'm originally city folk, I'm not really sure what it looks like. Sure, I've heard the old "leaves of three, let them be", but don't really know for sure what it looks like in person..lol. Now that I'm out in the country, I find I'm running across all sorts of mystery flora and fauna. Can someone check these pics and tell me if they're poison something or other...If you know what they are instead, I'd love to know that as well...Thanks so much

The top 2 photos are poison ivy, but the bottom is Virginia creeper. It's non-poisonous. You can tell it by it's 5 leaflets.

Welcome to the forum, I'm originally from Iowa myself--I was born at University hospital in Iowa City.

I agree with Terry. I did want to warn you that some people have a reaction to virginia creeper, me being one of them, and it can cause a really painful rash. I would use gloves and some caution when pulling it up.

I used Jocyln's suggestion of using gasoline to kill the poison ivy before pulling it up and it worked great. You still have to be VERY careful when pulling it up but there is less chance it will spring back up. Good luck!

Joanne

I just wanted to add, the jewelweed plant is known to help cure poison ivy. You're supposed to rub the juice of the stem onto the area.