Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
| Poison Ivy/Poison Oak killer.
May not be the right forum for this, but I didn't see a better option.
I have a 2 acre field behind the house, on the other side of a 6 foot privacy fence. Technically it is community property, owned by the HOA. Last year with all the rain, the ragweed that had overtaken the field grew to almost 20ft tall. As you can imagine, the bugs, rats, etc were out of control. It took some time, but I finally managed to convince the HOA to let me clean it up.
First step was bringing in a brush hog, which quickly showed the need for some trash cleanup. Seems when they built the neighborhood they used this field for overflow junk. I got all of the ragweed knocked down, the trash removed, and even trimmed the handful of trees so that the branches weren't hanging at decapitation levels. There are still a lot of smaller stumps and the roots of the ragweed out there, making a normal lawn mower useless. But it was all at brush hog level atleast. But then I got busy with work for a few weeks.
Now that the weather has warmed up, rained almost daily, and been overcast almost everyday for the past 3 weeks, I have a thriving field of poison ivy/poison oak. It's a solid blanket of the stuff, can't see a single blade of grass. I would imagine some of it will die out once the Texas sun comes out - if it every does. But in the mean time I need to do something. Now that its not a solid wall of ragweed, neighborhood pets (including my own) are chasing critters into the field, and then bringing the poison ivy back with them. This is no good.
So...anyone have suggestions how to kill this stuff? I've tried some RoundUp Poison Ivy killer on a few small sections, and it seems to kill off the taller stuff, but the poison ivy is so thick that the stuff underneath it gets protected, and just grows up to take the place of the dead. Not to mention trying to treat a 2 acre lot with hand sprayer is a joke. We can get a pickup truck back there, but I'm not sure about a commercial sprayer truck.
I would be fine with a general broadleaf killer, I don't care if it takes out everything (grass included) but it must NOT harm trees. This is important, as there are 5 huge, beautiful pecan trees on the lot.
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dgilbert
Good Bye My Friend
Premium,MVM
join:2002-06-15
none
clubs:
| go on ebay and order glyphosphate. you can get a 2.5 gallon jug of the concentrate for under 70.00 shipped. this is the SAME thing as RU, just the generic version. i use it is all teh time to kill PI/PO. your best bet is to brush hog again, then a couple days later spray the whole lot. thick stalks must be soaked for it to work. mix your spray up about 3 oz of glyphosphate ot 1 gallon of water. it won't harm the big trees, but any saplings will die if you soak them as well.
buy/rent a tank sprayer. i tow mine behind my lawn tractor. either that or get you a good back pack sprayer and prepare to spend a lot of time out there.
using this stuff i have managed to even bring kudzu under control and keep it away from our tower sites.
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Lack of Preparation on YOUR Part does NOT Constitute an Emergency on Mine! |
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GFLeeper
join:2001-01-06
West Granby, CT
 ·Cox HSI
| reply to Camelot One
Hopefully the poison ivy is growing in patches so you could treat limited areas by spot spraying. Spot treatment of poison ivy with a broadleaf weed killer would be the best way to keep the pecan trees protected. When spraying use a large droplet size with the nozzle close to the poison ivy. Spray under windless conditions.
Check the pecan trees to be certain the poison ivy vines are not growing up the trees. If they are, sever vines with an axe or hatchet. If the vines have grown up the trees, there will be patches of poison ivy under them.
It will probably require several annual treatments with weed killer as the poison ivy seeds germinate. I have found it to take 3-5 years to get rid of a well established infestation. After that an annual survey with treatment as needed will control any poison ivy that has been reseeded by bird droppings.
Before applying broadleaf weed killer, remember it works best on actively growing plants. Let the poison ivy get well established this year before attacking.
Good luck! |
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Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
| reply to Camelot One
Either I am misunderstanding, or the two of you are offering conflicting suggestions. Brush hog first.....but it needs to be well established? I was under the impression the chemicals were more effective if sprayed on the leaves, which would be removed with the brush hog.
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Intel Quad Core QX6700 @3500Mhz/Asus P5N32-E SLI/4x 1024Mb Corsair/Seagate 750.10/PNY 7800GTs SLI/Silverstone 850W/Custom water cooler |
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GFLeeper
join:2001-01-06
West Granby, CT
·Cox HSI
1 edit | reply to Camelot One
The two recommendations differ because of the weed killer used. Davidg is recommending glyphosate while I am recommending a broadleaf weed killer. Even glyphosate works best if there is some vegetation left on which to apply the spray.
If the entire area is infested with poison ivy then go with glyphosate. If the poison ivy is in patches and you would like to keep any grass that is mixed in with it, stick with a broadleaf killer. |
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wth
Premium
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City, IA
·Mediacom
| reply to Camelot One
The op's intentions are good, but I think the best solution is to have/force the hoa into hiring a lawn service to take care of the problem, since it's the hoa land. There's no reason the hoa can't cleanup all the junk, have the entire area sprayed, and then reseeded. |
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dgilbert
Good Bye My Friend
Premium,MVM
join:2002-06-15
none
clubs:
| reply to Camelot One
the only reason i say to brush hog first is that you say it is so thick that underlying plants are not getting sprayed. sut it back to where you can see all the plants, give it a few days to recover fromteh shock, then spray it. or go oout and spray it every weekend until you get it all, either way works.
i use a tow behind spot sprayer and literally soak everything when i spray. but then i don't have to keep spraying that area either! with a hand sprayer you just cannot possibly get enough out there to do any good.
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Lack of Preparation on YOUR Part does NOT Constitute an Emergency on Mine! |
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Pacrat
Old and Cranky
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH
·RoadRunner Cable
| I would demand the HOA deal with it as a health hazard. I understand why you've taken it on yourself, but it's their job to take care of it.
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If it's true that we learn from our mistakes, MENSA should honor me with their highest award! |
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Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
| reply to Camelot One
Getting our HOA just to agree to let me do it was a task, and they have (at much arguing) agreed to pay for the supplies needed. But thats as far as I could get them to go. Their argument is largely based on the fact that there is a 6' fence separating the homes from this field.
I don't have a riding mower, so the pull behind sprayer isn't an option. I guess I could look into renting one for the day.
To be honest I hadn't planned on doing this part myself. This is Texas.....land of "cheap" labor - and I'd gladly be out the cost of the labor to get it done. The HOA will pay me back for the chemicals.
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Intel Quad Core QX6700 @3500Mhz/Asus P5N32-E SLI/4x 1024Mb Corsair/Seagate 750.10/PNY 7800GTs SLI/Silverstone 850W/Custom water cooler |
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gaforces
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA
| I just did some patches with a 1 gallon sprayer. I waited 2 weeks after spraying, then pulled em out with the roots.
I expect I'll have to spray one more time to get the ones that broke above the roots.
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There is no greater sign of a general decay of virtue in a nation, than a want of zeal in its inhabitants for the good of their country. ~ Joseph Addison |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX | reply to Camelot One
You can buy a backpack sprayer at Lowes or Home Depot for less than $100. They hold 4 gallons. |
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CrzyCrakr
Premium
join:2005-06-24
Edgewater, MD | reply to Camelot One
Gas is the only thing that has worked for me. |
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dgilbert
Good Bye My Friend
Premium,MVM
join:2002-06-15
none
clubs:
| reply to Camelot One
if you are going to hire it out, then go buy a few 2.5 gallon hand sprayers and hand them out to the labor force. 3-4 men can knock it out in a few hours. just be prepared to have them do it again in a couple weeks.
BTW, PI/PO can still cause rashes even when dead. my stepdad caught PI from clearing out some dead stuff that had been left hanging in the trees for a couple years. the vines were dry and snapped easily, yet it still contained the oils that cause the rash. until you totally clear the debris of it, it is still contagious.
since you say there is a lot of stumps/trash there, why not hire a guy to come in with a dozer or a tractor with a blade and level the whole lot. this will not only get rid of the PI/PO, but the stumps and such as well. around here you can hire a handyman type from the classifieds for less than 500.00 to do this sized job.
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Lack of Preparation on YOUR Part does NOT Constitute an Emergency on Mine! |
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Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
| There are gas lines running through the field, so a dozer is completely out of the question. (that was my first idea on how to handle the lot, HOA gave a flat no.)
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Intel Quad Core QX6700 @3500Mhz/Asus P5N32-E SLI/4x 1024Mb Corsair/Seagate 750.10/PNY 7800GTs SLI/Silverstone 850W/Custom water cooler |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
1 edit | reply to Camelot One
I want to say poison ivy/oak has oils on their leaves - if you sprayed a cotton glove with RoundUp and break the leaves while rubbing it on th leaved it may work - otherwise the oil prevents the killer from getting to the interior of the plant.
More info: »landscaping.about.com/cs/weedsdi···vy_3.htm
»www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-o···-ivy.htm
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Brian
Free health care is 100% a misnomer - it is not free and never will be free. |
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Pacrat
Old and Cranky
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH | Add a little liquid dish soap to the mix... it'll cut the oil by acting as a "wetting" agent. |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
| reply to dgilbert
said by dgilbert  :if you are going to hire it out, then go buy a few 2.5 gallon hand sprayers and hand them out to the labor force. 3-4 men can knock it out in a few hours. I have been spraying probably close to an acre a few times a year to control some little sticker plants using a backpack sprayer. They work so much better than pump up sprayers do. I think one man could do the 2 acres in a day. The nice thing about the backpack is you don't have to keep stopping to pump it up. Instead, you pump as you spray. |
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gaforces
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA | reply to dgilbert
I don't get PI/PO as bad as some people, but I still use thick gloves and long sleeves. Then when I get done I wash up with Technu soap. |
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sdgthy
@optonline.net
| reply to Camelot One
Roundup works wonders, as said the active ingredient is glyphosphate which works best during the growing season. If there is other stuff you don't want to kill, soak a sponge and use that to apply to the PI foliage. Thick vines growing into trees, cut off and apply glyphosphate to the part going to the roots. PI will take awhile to knock down, but it can be done if you keep at it. |
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ekiM
Oh Well
join:2001-01-06
/usr/home
clubs: | reply to Camelot One
If the area is enclosed completely by fence - borrow a couple of hungry goats. I know they will eat poison oak. Had a friend that did just that on about an acre.
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"I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin." |
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