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How to kill poison ivy?


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Okay, I recently hid an ammo box. It is in the woods, I hid it inside a log. I picked that log specifically because there is a vine nearby that I could attach a bike lock too. I needed to attach a bike lock because it is placed right next to the water and it'll flood occasionally. I really don't want to move the geocache, but apparently I gave some people poison ivy. I have never heard of poison ivy on a vine before. I could always move it a few feet away because there is quite a few logs in the area. But, the spot I have it hidden is VERY concealed, anywhere else and it wouldn't be as challenging. So I was wondering if there is a way to kill poison ivy?

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I would move the cache. The plant doesn't deserve to die because it is an inconvenience to a geocache.

 

I've been in the same situation. I hid a cache and an anthill showed up. I moved the cache to get it away from the ants. Then a couple people suggested I just take a bottle of Raid and kill the ants. :rolleyes:

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Poison ivy IS a vine. They usually look "hairy". I pulled up a plant with my bare hands and immediately rinsed them off in a nearby creek. I recieved only a tiny amount between my fingers a few days later, however I suggest using gloves. :rolleyes: You can get a rash, not just from the leaves but from the "hairs" even in the winter. Leaves of 3 and white berries on a hairy vine is what to avoid.

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Okay, I recently hid an ammo box. It is in the woods, I hid it inside a log. I picked that log specifically because there is a vine nearby that I could attach a bike lock too. I needed to attach a bike lock because it is placed right next to the water and it'll flood occasionally. I really don't want to move the geocache, but apparently I gave some people poison ivy. I have never heard of poison ivy on a vine before. I could always move it a few feet away because there is quite a few logs in the area. But, the spot I have it hidden is VERY concealed, anywhere else and it wouldn't be as challenging. So I was wondering if there is a way to kill poison ivy?

 

Tough to kill it and I don't think it is really necessary. Poison ivy is a vine. Old vines like those in the photo above are distinctive and easily identified. More likely is that any attempts to kill it will simply make it sprout loads of new vines from the root and increase the chance of exposure. Use the attribute as mentioned above. People that are sensitive to PI should be responsible enough to learn with it looks like and avoid it.

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Will the same method mentioned in your link remove it?
Forget the link - anyone can google it if you insist. Repeating what myself and others have said - don't kill it. Put the poison-ivy attribute on the cache listing, warn folks -- or move your cache. Edited by lee_rimar
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I'd suggest leaving the poison ivy be and just giving your cache the poison ivy attribute. That way people (the ones who pay attention) will know what they're getting into and the others cant complain - you gave them fair warning. Less work and less death: it's a win-win.

 

Considering that it's possible to get to the get to the geocache and open it without ever touching the vine would doing this be a D-bag move? It is attached to the vine with a bike lock so you can easily pick up the geocache by it's body. Although what would happen when it starts growing leaves? Then I'd have to move it. I think I'm just going to move it instead of killing it.

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I'd suggest leaving the poison ivy be and just giving your cache the poison ivy attribute. That way people (the ones who pay attention) will know what they're getting into and the others cant complain - you gave them fair warning. Less work and less death: it's a win-win.

 

Considering that it's possible to get to the get to the geocache and open it without ever touching the vine would doing this be a D-bag move? It is attached to the vine with a bike lock so you can easily pick up the geocache by it's body. Although what would happen when it starts growing leaves? Then I'd have to move it. I think I'm just going to move it instead of killing it.

 

I think a lot of people would not recognize poison ivy in that form, even with an attribute, and would not think to avoid touching the plant. They'll also probably assume you wouldn't have placed your cache so close to something that didn't look hazardous but was. Additionally, I agree with the previous poster who said that you won't be able to eradicate the ivy, not completely and not from that area in the long run. It's going to be there and it's going to look harmless. Best to just move the cache someplace else entirely.

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I'd suggest leaving the poison ivy be and just giving your cache the poison ivy attribute. That way people (the ones who pay attention) will know what they're getting into and the others cant complain - you gave them fair warning. Less work and less death: it's a win-win.

 

Considering that it's possible to get to the get to the geocache and open it without ever touching the vine would doing this be a D-bag move? It is attached to the vine with a bike lock so you can easily pick up the geocache by it's body. Although what would happen when it starts growing leaves? Then I'd have to move it. I think I'm just going to move it instead of killing it.

 

I think a lot of people would not recognize poison ivy in that form, even with an attribute, and would not think to avoid touching the plant. They'll also probably assume you wouldn't have placed your cache so close to something that didn't look hazardous but was. Additionally, I agree with the previous poster who said that you won't be able to eradicate the ivy, not completely and not from that area in the long run. It's going to be there and it's going to look harmless. Best to just move the cache someplace else entirely.

 

Okay, since it's dark right now I got to o out and do it tomorrow. There are plenty more places to place it, because there are about 10 logs there, the only problem is finding somewhere to attach the bike hook too. I'll figure it out...

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I'd suggest leaving the poison ivy be and just giving your cache the poison ivy attribute. That way people (the ones who pay attention) will know what they're getting into and the others cant complain - you gave them fair warning. Less work and less death: it's a win-win.

 

Considering that it's possible to get to the get to the geocache and open it without ever touching the vine would doing this be a D-bag move? It is attached to the vine with a bike lock so you can easily pick up the geocache by it's body. Although what would happen when it starts growing leaves? Then I'd have to move it. I think I'm just going to move it instead of killing it.

 

I think a lot of people would not recognize poison ivy in that form, even with an attribute, and would not think to avoid touching the plant. They'll also probably assume you wouldn't have placed your cache so close to something that didn't look hazardous but was. Additionally, I agree with the previous poster who said that you won't be able to eradicate the ivy, not completely and not from that area in the long run. It's going to be there and it's going to look harmless. Best to just move the cache someplace else entirely.

 

Okay, since it's dark right now I got to o out and do it tomorrow. There are plenty more places to place it, because there are about 10 logs there, the only problem is finding somewhere to attach the bike hook too. I'll figure it out...

A lot of people will know what a poison ivy vine looks like esp. if they are in areas where PI grows. You should NEVER kill nature for a cache. The only thing one should remove from areas where there are caches (or anywhere for that matter is TRASH. As always, when playing the game LEAVE NO TRACE

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Bad idea. Simpler & better to move the cache. But since you asked:

http://landscaping.about.com/cs/weedsdisea...oison_ivy_3.htm

 

That tells you how to get rid of the leave kind of poison ivy. The poison ivy near my cache is this kind. 55poisonivy.jpg

 

Will the same method mentioned in your link remove it?

 

I wouldn't even touch that one. Each little hair has the noxious oil in it. You'd be playing roulette.

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I'd suggest leaving the poison ivy be and just giving your cache the poison ivy attribute. That way people (the ones who pay attention) will know what they're getting into and the others cant complain - you gave them fair warning. Less work and less death: it's a win-win.

 

Considering that it's possible to get to the get to the geocache and open it without ever touching the vine would doing this be a D-bag move? It is attached to the vine with a bike lock so you can easily pick up the geocache by it's body. Although what would happen when it starts growing leaves? Then I'd have to move it. I think I'm just going to move it instead of killing it.

 

I think a lot of people would not recognize poison ivy in that form, even with an attribute, and would not think to avoid touching the plant. They'll also probably assume you wouldn't have placed your cache so close to something that didn't look hazardous but was. Additionally, I agree with the previous poster who said that you won't be able to eradicate the ivy, not completely and not from that area in the long run. It's going to be there and it's going to look harmless. Best to just move the cache someplace else entirely.

 

Okay, since it's dark right now I got to o out and do it tomorrow. There are plenty more places to place it, because there are about 10 logs there, the only problem is finding somewhere to attach the bike hook too. I'll figure it out...

A lot of people will know what a poison ivy vine looks like esp. if they are in areas where PI grows. You should NEVER kill nature for a cache. The only thing one should remove from areas where there are caches (or anywhere for that matter is TRASH. As always, when playing the game LEAVE NO TRACE

 

I agree. It's not your place to kill this PI. Move it if you want, or add the attribute and a major warning on the cache page. Funny, I just found a cache yesterday that was basically concealed by what I'm 99.9% positive is a hairy poison ivy vine. But I live in the sub-arctic tundra of Western NY State, and that thing won't be sprouting for a few weeks. There have been warnings (including mine) in the cache logs. :rolleyes:

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I do not know how to kill, but I just got poison ivy the other day after going (no from yours, but another.) I went to 5 or so locations so I have no idea where it was. Never even saw anything I thought was ivy, because I know I'm pretty allergic. May sound weird, if you do get it put mylanta on it.... yes the anti acid.

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A lot of people might recognize it, but others wouldn't. Let's not forget even the OP himself didn't recognize the vine to be poison ivy, and he already had some finders complain of a bad reaction to the vine. That's at least two parties in the area who did not know what it was, so it's clear that the vine is not going to be avoided by everyone. And not everyone who seeks a cache is from the area in which the cache is placed.

It only takes one to make a cache un-fun. I repeat: it's going to be there and it's going to look harmless. Just move the cache and leave no trace. :rolleyes:

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You guys keep going on about me killing it. I have already stated I am not going to. Plus, that tree in the picture is one I got off the internet. It is just VERY similar.

 

I think at this point some of us are replying more to others or debating the issue, since, as you say, you've made your decision. :rolleyes:

 

Or maybe we're afraid you'll get pulled back to the other side by the new pro-kill comments. :rolleyes:

Edited by estrelle
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...you guys keep going on...
Most folks will hit reply without readng the whole thread to see it's been said already. You're just seeing each one's first reaction to your inquiry.

 

And I'm guesing user "Estrelle" isn't a guy :rolleyes:

 

Hey! My "going on" only occurred after he said something that wasn't definite and before I saw him say he was decided for sure. It wasn't me! lol

And there's the stuff I mentioned in my last post. We're not necessarily talking directly to him now.

But, yes, there's also the phenomenon you described. I've noticed people on this forum tend to respond to the original post without reading anything after it. :rolleyes:

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You guys keep going on about me killing it. I have already stated I am not going to. Plus, that tree in the picture is one I got off the internet. It is just VERY similar.

 

Sorry about that, I'm guilty. So I'd put a MAJOR warning on the cache page, and use the poison plant attribute. Or move it, it's all up to you.

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To directly answer the question...

 

PI is one of the HARDEST plants to get rid of/kill. It is one of the first to re-sprout after a fire. Cut it to a zillion pieces and most of the pieces will re-root. Pull it, and each little piece of root left in the ground sprouts anew.

 

To make matters worse, trying to eradicate it only spreads the oils that are the real problem (including in the smoke from burning it -- ever have chemical pneumonia?). A pin-point (not pin head) of the oil is all it takes to cause blistering. The leaves themselves are not the problem. It is the entire plant, even in its' winter dormancy state it makes problems for people as they do not recognize it w/o leaves.

 

Best response to the question...

 

If you can, avoid it altogether. :rolleyes:

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Okay, I recently hid an ammo box. It is in the woods, I hid it inside a log. I picked that log specifically because there is a vine nearby that I could attach a bike lock too. I needed to attach a bike lock because it is placed right next to the water and it'll flood occasionally. I really don't want to move the geocache, but apparently I gave some people poison ivy. I have never heard of poison ivy on a vine before. I could always move it a few feet away because there is quite a few logs in the area. But, the spot I have it hidden is VERY concealed, anywhere else and it wouldn't be as challenging. So I was wondering if there is a way to kill poison ivy?

 

PI is very very hard to kill. IT requires using "Poison" to do so. The problem with that is the poison needed to kill PI is extremely toxic to other plants as well as the native wildlife around.

 

If you try cutting it down with a "Weed Wacker" you will get a very bad rash, as the "OILS" in PI that cause the rash are even stronger in the branches and wood of the PI. So DON"T try to cut it down or mow it down.

 

Also DON'T try to burn it. Think of Mesquite/hicory smoked meats? they get that flavor because the oils from the wood are in the smoke & then are left behind on your cooked smoked food. Same thing happens when buring PI/PS/PO. Except this time the smoke gets into yoru lungs, causes inflamation to your lungs & can KILL you!

 

If it is such a good spot. Then just notate in your cache page that their is PI around, & use the attributes feature as well to inform potential searches of possible PI.

 

TGC

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I do not know how to kill, but I just got poison ivy the other day after going (no from yours, but another.) I went to 5 or so locations so I have no idea where it was. Never even saw anything I thought was ivy, because I know I'm pretty allergic. May sound weird, if you do get it put mylanta on it.... yes the anti acid.

 

You could just fill the ammo can with mylanta and calamine lotion as swag :lol:

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I think your should grab some sticks and hot dogs and burn it....

 

Umm yea anyways reason for posting...

 

Seems to me the biggest concern is Why in the world are you chaining the cache to poison ivy??

 

and 2nd'ly Why are you chaining up your cache at all?

 

I mean why not just get a post hole digger and dig a 8 ft hole and fill it with concrete around a ship anchor and secure the cache to that?

 

If someone goes out there to harm your cache a lil ol chain to a tree ain't gonna do much... although if your suspecting someone to mess with your cache well then.. chaining it to poison ivy might just be the best way :lol:

 

but you were concern with the location and it being a tough find...

 

Well A chain attached to it and around a tree I would imagine decrease it to only a 2 star difficulty at most.. unless you have some kind of invisible chain ;)

 

Ciao,

 

Bill

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I think your should grab some sticks and hot dogs and burn it....

 

Umm yea anyways reason for posting...

 

Seems to me the biggest concern is Why in the world are you chaining the cache to poison ivy??

 

and 2nd'ly Why are you chaining up your cache at all?

 

I mean why not just get a post hole digger and dig a 8 ft hole and fill it with concrete around a ship anchor and secure the cache to that?

 

If someone goes out there to harm your cache a lil ol chain to a tree ain't gonna do much... although if your suspecting someone to mess with your cache well then.. chaining it to poison ivy might just be the best way :lol:

 

but you were concern with the location and it being a tough find...

 

Well A chain attached to it and around a tree I would imagine decrease it to only a 2 star difficulty at most.. unless you have some kind of invisible chain ;)

 

Ciao,

 

Bill

Which leads us to another no-no, no digging....

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I think your should grab some sticks and hot dogs and burn it....

 

Umm yea anyways reason for posting...

 

Seems to me the biggest concern is Why in the world are you chaining the cache to poison ivy??

 

and 2nd'ly Why are you chaining up your cache at all?

 

I mean why not just get a post hole digger and dig a 8 ft hole and fill it with concrete around a ship anchor and secure the cache to that?

 

If someone goes out there to harm your cache a lil ol chain to a tree ain't gonna do much... although if your suspecting someone to mess with your cache well then.. chaining it to poison ivy might just be the best way :lol:

 

but you were concern with the location and it being a tough find...

 

Well A chain attached to it and around a tree I would imagine decrease it to only a 2 star difficulty at most.. unless you have some kind of invisible chain ;)

 

Ciao,

 

Bill

[i needed to attach a bike lock because it is placed right next to the water and it'll flood occasionally]

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I've seen some land managers cut the real thick vines (the types that are like 1-3 inches across) with a chainsaw part way up. That prevents the from growing higher, but I'm not sure if that prevents the roots from sprouting new vines in other areas around the tree. Personally, I'd rather come across one big fat vine than a bunch of newly grown thin ones that are harder to see.

 

A couple other things about PI, even if it's dead, the oil can stay in the vine/branches for years. And, in some areas (it happens around here) poison ivy will actually grow as a bush too.

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I've seen some land managers cut the real thick vines (the types that are like 1-3 inches across) with a chainsaw part way up. That prevents the from growing higher, but I'm not sure if that prevents the roots from sprouting new vines in other areas around the tree. Personally, I'd rather come across one big fat vine than a bunch of newly grown thin ones that are harder to see.

 

A couple other things about PI, even if it's dead, the oil can stay in the vine/branches for years. And, in some areas (it happens around here) poison ivy will actually grow as a bush too.

 

When I was younger and living in Michigan I rarely saw the vine or bush type, most PI was low growing ground cover, not quite as tall as ferns or May apples, which gave it considerable cover to lurk beneath. Fortunately I didn't have any sort of reaction to PI.

 

Moved west and met its cousin Poison Oak (PO) with whom I have become well acquainted. One not even need come into direct contact with the plants as Urushiol can be transfered to one person's hands to an object then to another person's hands.

 

We're having a bumper crop of PO this year. I think it likes all the rain we had.

 

The problem with Autumn or winter hides is some cachers don't recognise the dormant plants and place caches smack in the middle of PO thickets, or in one case, propped up by the trunk of the tree-like variety.

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Poison ivy is part of nature. Your cache is in a natural area. Makes sense that cachers would be aware that there *might* be PI around the cache. Just add the PI attribute and make a note in the description. I would leave the cache where it is.

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One not even need come into direct contact with the plants as Urushiol can be transfered to one person's hands to an object then to another person's hands.

Yes! I'm always faced with a quandary when we go hiking. I know what PI looks like and do my best to avoid it, but my dog, who loves to hike, doesn't and will often walk through it. He may not get itchy, but when you get home a couple days later, and he runs over and whacks you with his tail or leans against you, that oil can transfer from him to you. Or...if he leans on the couch and then you touch the couch.

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when i opened this thread, i had no idea that i would see so many bleedin' heart PI defenders...

 

good grief!

 

i take industrial strength round up and blaze a trail to each cache i visit....

 

and on the return trip, after it's dried up, to rid the area of the oils i torch it!

 

:rolleyes:

 

The first time time I ever had a reaction to PI/PO it was from breathing the smoke of a campfire it was burned in. I was 12. I looked like a shaved ewok and had to take steroids and prescription benadryl the rest of that summer. I was extremely sensitive to contact with PI/PO for the next 20 or so years and have just recently started to build up a resistance to it.

 

So yeah, burn that stuff. You go right ahead.

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The first time time I ever had a reaction to PI/PO it was from breathing the smoke of a campfire it was burned in. I was 12. I looked like a shaved ewok and had to take steroids and prescription benadryl the rest of that summer. I was extremely sensitive to contact with PI/PO for the next 20 or so years and have just recently started to build up a resistance to it.

 

So yeah, burn that stuff. You go right ahead.

 

same here...12 years old, some numbskull threw it on the fire as i was trying to get it built. i don't recall the ewok part, but i do recall the doctor asking why i ate it. :rolleyes:

 

if it is burning, you just try not to be in the area.

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good grief!! someone asks a simple question and gets grumbled at...

 

Some people need to get grumbled at.

 

If you chain your cache to a big vine, and later discover that the big vine is poison ivy, the only reasonable course of action is to move the cache.

 

Instead, he posted a question about how to kill poison ivy. Here's a hint: it's not your poison ivy, you don't get to decide to kill it. Just like you don't get to use a machete to cut a path to ground zero through brambles, or spray weedkiller in a field to make the micro on the ground easier to find. Just don't do it.

 

(If it is your poison ivy, ie. it's on your own property, then of course you may kill it. You should still move the cache as the dead vine will still contain enough oils to make finders itch.)

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So, the eradication of a few noxious and, for some, dangerous, plants is going to upset some microcosm to the point of completely upsetting the balance of the Universe. As someone who has eradicated my fair share of those plants, I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that they are doing just fine on this thing we call planet Earth. And, quite frankly, if they were not, I wouldn't miss them. Although, some bleeding heart would probably come up with some never before heard of micro organism that was somehow wiped off the face of the planet because of it.

 

I might suggest that those hung up on the ownership thing not damage a single blade of grass or bend a single twig or heaven forbid squash a single bug. Avoid at all cost any living thing whether plant, animal, or insect. If you're bothered by a wasp or a bee or a hornet, you just say, "here I am, I don't own you, have at it" and then thank it for the refreshing wake up call and enjoy the pain that it inflicts.

 

Some people just need to be grumbled at for grumbling.

Edited by alwarren56
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So, the eradication of a few noxious and, for some, dangerous, plants is going to upset some microcosm to the point of completely upsetting the balance of the Universe. As someone who has eradicated my fair share of those plants, I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that they are doing just fine on this thing we call planet Earth. And, quite frankly, if they were not, I wouldn't miss them. Although, some bleeding heart would probably come up with some never before heard of micro organism that was somehow wiped off the face of the planet because of it.

 

I might suggest that those hung up on the ownership thing not damage a single blade of grass or bend a single twig or heaven forbid squash a single bug. Avoid at all cost any living thing whether plant, animal, or insect. If you're bothered by a wasp or a bee or a hornet, you just say, "here I am, I don't own you, have at it" and then thank it for the refreshing wake up call and enjoy the pain that it inflicts.

 

Some people just need to be grumbled at for grumbling.

In spirit, I tend agree with what you are saying, but I think that you are totally missing the point here. This is not a tree-hugger issue; it is a land manager perception issue. You have no right to go onto somebody else's property and start eradicating poison ivy, do you?
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