The Ultimate Revenge: How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy
“You’ll be scratchin’ like a hound…”
I’m not sure The Coasters were talking about the plant when they wrote their 1959 song “Poison Ivy,” but they sure nailed some of the symptoms and effects. That stupid plant has been a plague to me for the past three weeks.
It all started with the other plague in my life- my in-laws. Since her “honey don’t do,” I was recruited to do some chores at one of my bride’s sister’s home. Being in the green industry, I was naturally tasked with cleaning up the beds in the front of the house and putting down a fresh layer of mulch. No problem, it keeps me away from the rest of the sisters, four altogether not to mention their mother. The problem was either the mulch or some of the debris was loaded with poison ivy or at least the urushiol oil that causes the itch! Despite a shower, like the song states “late at night while you’re sleepin’, poison ivy comes creepin’ around,” I got hammered with a poison ivy rash.
After “an ocean of calamine lotion,” it’s finally starting to subside. So now that I’m done whining about my allergies to poisonous plants, I would like to share the best solution I’ve experienced for killing those nasty weeds.
Due to the waxy leaf of poison ivy, the best prescription is a combination of three different herbicides:
- Scythe Herbicide at 4 oz/gallon per 1000 sq ft
- ArmorTech Threesome at 1.5 oz/gallon per 1000 sq ft or Everett Herbicide at 2 oz/gallon per 1000 sq ft
- Glyphosate (Ranger Pro, among others) at 2 oz/gallon per 1000 sq ft
This mixture attacks poison ivy in multiple ways for very effective management. First, Scythe has a healthy percentage of fatty acids that cut through the waxes and oil to burn the plant foliage. Next, the phenoxy herbicide (Threesome or Everett) causes uncontrolled growth, twisting, thickening, and elongation as the weeds are literally tricked into growing themselves toward death. Finally, the glyphosate item gets into the plant and translocates throughout the entire plant to hopefully give it the death blow. Obviously reading and following the label is imperative, as this mixture will beat up anything green it touches. I also recommend not straying from the suggested rates as I have personally seen a 100-gallon sprayer filled with a mayonnaise-looking substance as a result of strongly mixing these herbicides.
Now, if only I could come up with a cocktail that would help me with my in-law situation…
Don’t forget to reach out to your ATS sales rep if you have questions!
Tim Yingling
Sales Representative
