Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Get Rid of Poison Oak and Poison Ivy
How to Get Rid of Poison Oak and Poison Ivy. Poison oak and ivy are dreadful garden companions. The resin in their oil is toxic and causes severe dermatitis. Here's how to rid your garden of these uninvited pests.
Poison oak and ivy are dreadful garden companions. The resin in their oil is toxic and causes severe dermatitis. Here's how to rid your garden of these uninvited pests.
Things You'll Need
Gardening Gloves
Poison Ivy/oak Killer
Shovels
Contact your local agricultural extension office for the best method to remove poison oak and ivy in your area.
Pull poison oak or ivy if you have only a few small plants in your garden. Make sure to remove all underground runners. Dig down into the soil at least 8 inches.
Hire a herd of goats to eat the poison plants in your garden. Goats are voracious consumers of poison oak and ivy. Nurseries or the agricultural extension office can point you in the direction of goats for hire. (Note: Even if you use this method, you will still have to dig out the roots.)
Use a glyphosphate-based herbicide to kill the plants. Glyphosphate is a nonselective herbicide and will kill any plant it comes in contact with. Keep it away from your landscape plants. Herbicide works best on poison oak that has already formed berries.
Tips & Warnings
Always use the least toxic method of control as your first step.
Wear long sleeves and gloves when handling poison plants.
Wash all clothing and tools immediately after you finish working.
Shower to remove all the toxic resin from your skin.
Do not burn poison oak or ivy. The toxic resins will be carried in the smoke and may damage your lungs.
Even the bare twigs and branches of these plants are toxic during the dormant season.
