How to Rid Your Yard of Poison Ivy

If you don't want a pet goat to get rid of your poison ivy, there are other ways to get the job done.

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You Will Need

  • Garden shears
  • Black plastic sheeting
  • Herbicide

Steps

  1. Poison ivy is poisonous and will cause an itchy rash on most people. Be careful when handling this plant.

  2. Step 1

    Eradicate with cultural methods

    Attempt eradication of the poison ivy through cultural methods, such as continually cutting the plant at the ground or covering the infestation with black plastic sheeting. Completely cover your skin when attempting these methods.

  3. When pulling out or cutting the plant, the best results are achieved when the soil is wet.

  4. Step 2

    Use an herbicide

    Use an herbicide if cultural methods do not work or the infestation is too large. Herbicides can be found at a local garden store.

  5. Step 3

    Do not disturb the soil

    Avoid disturbing the soil for several days after an herbicide treatment. The dead poison ivy may still contain poisonous oils.

  6. Step 4

    Repeat the treatment

    Repeat the treatment during the same season or in the following year until your ivy problem is solved.

  7. It is estimated that three out of four people are sensitive to the chemical found in poison ivy.

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