[AT] Poison Ivy

[szabelski at wildblue.net]

Mike,

One remedy is a mixture of vinegar, salt, water, and dish soap. The vinegar is a natural acidic plant killer. The salt helps to kill roots while the dish soap essentially removes the waxy leaf covering, allowing the solution to be absorbed. Vinegar comes in different concentrations, 10%, 20, and 30%. Use the 10%, the 20% and 30% concentrations can cause severe skin burns and are corrosive. One concern is that using too much over time will cause salt to build up in the soil.

If I remember correctly the solution is 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup salt, and 1 tablespoon soap to a gallon of water. You may want to google the recipe to make sure.

It’s best to apply on hot days, and it is apparently better if you heat the solution up before spraying. If done on a hot day, your supposed to see the plant die pretty fast.

As far as reaction over time, you will get a worse reaction every time you come in contact. After you first contact your body develops antibodies to fight the itch and rash. The second time you come in contact, the antibodies kick in at full speed and the rash and itch will be worse. Doesn’t make sense, but it’s apparently your body over reacting.

My dad knew a guy who could handle poison ivy and wouldn’t get any kind of reaction. He could pull the plant out of the ground and rub it between his hands with no affect.

I knew a guy who had the misfortune of cutting weeds on a piece of property he was building on. Chopped grass and weeds blowing all around him while he mowed with a push mower, in his face, on his arms and legs, down his shirt. He suffered for a very long time from all the poison ivy debris that landed on him.

Wear long pants and rubber boots, long sleeved shirts and rubber gloves. Also protect your face, head and back of you neck.  Tape pants to boots and sleeves to gloves. It’s quite easy to accidentally brush up against a branch when you moving around.

If you do get some on you, witch hazel helps relieve the itch and reduce the rash by helping to dry out the skin in the affected area.

Carl
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:08:31 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [AT] Poison Ivy

I have scads of poison ivy around my place, anyone have a secret recipe
to nuke this stuff? I'm not overly susceptible to it, but my daughter
is. Also I've read that your reaction to it can change over time.

Thanks,
Mike M

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