Poison Ivy Control

[Pelican]

I've got client with a number of mature apple trees in her yard, her house is in an old orchard. There is poison ivy climbing many of the trees and her family is extremely susceptible to it. I've been asked to eradicate it without harming the host trees. Cutting is out, it will just return and the remaining roots present a hazard to her children. Is there a chemical treatment which will work in this case?

[Mark Oomkes]

Finale at a very high rate will take care of it right now. Sort of a bad time of year to attempt control, so you may have to make more than one application. Depending on the size, you probably will any ways.

[TrickyDick]

We've used round-up succesfully for that kind of thing. Just have to be careful not to get it on the foliage or open cuts of the trees. It would take a lot to weaken a mature tree but why chance it.

[Busy Bee]

Bad time of year for this. Wait until fall and the leaves will turn red making it easier to find when it is entwined in the leaves of the tree. Just follow the hairy stem to the groung and be sure to remove the root system. Depending on how long it has been growing, the root system can be quite large and complex.

[Pelican]

The root system is what I'm concerned with. I'm not very sensitive to it myself so physically pulling the vines is not a problem, but I want to kill off the roots so it doesn't regenerate.

[Busy Bee]

I know there is a herbacide specially made for poison. The only way I know how to remove the root sysyem is with a bow rake. Once you have found the main root it can be pulled up easily.

[NCSULandscaper]

Originally posted by Pelican
The root system is what I'm concerned with. I'm not very sensitive to it myself so physically pulling the vines is not a problem, but I want to kill off the roots so it doesn't regenerate.

drill into the top of the cut and inject with roundup pro concentrate

[Busy Bee]

Will that kill the entire root system?

[NCSULandscaper]

thats how roundup works, it goes to the roots

[TrickyDick]

If the plant is really big it may not kill the whole thing the first time. Might take a few apps but it will work.

[Mark Oomkes]

I could be mistaken here, but doesn't Roundup work by preventing photosynthesis? Meaning it has to be applied to green plant tissue? I was under the impression that you 'could' apply Roundup to a tree trunk all day long with little or no effect on the tree, but as soon as applied to leaves it will start to be effective.

I would go with Brushmaster for applying to the root system. Just need to be very cautious with any desirable trees that are to remain.

[scott C]

Y not cut it to the ground wait for the new growth to emerge and spray the new foliage when it appears.

[NCSULandscaper]

Originally posted by Mark Oomkes
I could be mistaken here, but doesn't Roundup work by preventing photosynthesis? Meaning it has to be applied to green plant tissue? I was under the impression that you 'could' apply Roundup to a tree trunk all day long with little or no effect on the tree, but as soon as applied to leaves it will start to be effective.

I would go with Brushmaster for applying to the root system. Just need to be very cautious with any desirable trees that are to remain.


its written on the label about cut stump applications....ive been doing it for years and have had good success

[Hamons]

[uote] could be mistaken here, but doesn't Roundup work by preventing photosynthesis? Meaning it has to be applied to green plant tissue? I was under the impression that you 'could' apply Roundup to a tree trunk all day long with little or no effect on the tree, but as soon as applied to leaves it will start to be effective. [/quote]

round-up works by blocking the formation of certain enzyme needed for reproduction of cells in the plant.
The reson cut stump application work as well as foliar application is that it is absorbed quickly into the plants vascular system. Sprayed on the trunk or soil and it the product becomes inert before is is absorbed.

[Mark Oomkes]

Thanks, I guess I should read the label a little closer.

Just as an aside, I still prefer Finale, much quicker response than even the new formulations of Roundup.

[jon korevec]

There is a product on the market called "Brush b gone" that i use in these situations. The active chemical ingredient is Trycloper(sp?) at about 8%.
I start By cutting through the main stem of the poision ivy a couple feet from the ground then I score the vine(leading back to the ground) in several places(like the round-up label suggests) and paint on the brush b' gone full strength being carful not to drip any in the process. It has worked the first time in most instances. When the top potion of the vine dries up a little i pull it down out of the tree. This stuff is in-expensive and a little goes a long way.

[GLAN]

I had great success several years ago waiting till August and or September.........spray with Super Trimec.


August and September......the vine is translocating sugars down to the roots.

[Lawn Lad]

What about the product "Vine-X" that I see advertised in garden centers? http://www.vine-x.com/vprod.html

It looks like a triclopyr formulation and is labeled for poisen ivy.