Poison Ivy Panic

Today we write about a plant you’ll never find at Augustine Nursery – poison ivy. 

It is one of Mother nature’s worst plagues. It lurks everywhere in our region and is the bane of every gardener. It seems to exist solely to irritate anyone who enjoys the outdoors. In the height of summer when all you want to do is enjoy the yard, brushing up against poison ivy is the last thing you need. 

For those who aren’t experienced with poison ivy, it bears a nasty oily resin called urushiol which can penetrate clothes and can also pass on its oil by sticking to your pet’s fur. 

If you feel like you’re growing a poison ivy farm on your property it’s because poison ivy loves climate change and is one of the few species that has a positive response to rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. The added carbon dioxide encourages it to grow faster and more rampantly.

Here are a few facts:

• Less than a millionth of an ounce of urushiol can cause a blistering rash that lasts for about two weeks.
• You have about 15 minutes after coming in contact with poison ivy to wash with soap and cool water before the urushiol binds to your skin. Tecnu scrub works well as a wash.
• Only 15% of the population is not allergic to poison ivy. And, if you think you are in that group – beware, because it can change.
• Poison ivy is toxic year round and even when dead, the urushiol can remain potent for a year or more.
• Never burn poison ivy because the smoke is dangerous to eyes and lungs. 

The bottom line is that poison ivy can stop you from enjoying outdoor activities like tending to your flower beds or hanging out on the patio. Left unchecked, it will continue to spread. There are two ways to effectively handle poison ivy eradication safely and both involve calling a specialist. A poison ivy control specialist will eradicate your poison ivy with chemicals. A newer, greener type of control is by contracting with a company that will bring goats to your property to eat the poison ivy. Poison ivy seems to taste as good to goats and a fresh garden tomatoes taste to gardeners. They love it. And you and your family might like the idea of having some cute goats around for a bit.