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The poison ivy plant can work its way into our beautiful well tended garden and destroy everything we worked so hard for. Learn what to do and what not to do when getting rid of this plant.

Removing the Poison Ivy Plant From Your Garden
By Naomi West

Many of us can only dream about the perfect garden that can compliment our home and create a safe haven for us to relax in. Our idea of a great garden might consist of a few flower beds around the house, potted plants spread along the patio, or a fountain surrounded by many beautiful flower and exotic plants. Whatever our vision is the one thing that does not exist in our perfect gardens are weeds and plants that can choke them out and ruin the whole scene.

The poison ivy plant has a way of doing this. It can creep into our yard and our perfect gardens and cause mayhem. It is easy enough to spot when it is trying to grow next to our beautiful and colorful flowers - but it is not so easy to get rid of. In fact many people are not sure what to do when it comes to this creepy plant. So how do you dispose of it from your garden?

What Not To Do:

- Most will try to rip the plant out by its roots - but this will release a large amount of the urusiol - skin irritant - and thus will give you an unusually bad case of the rash. It will also have a chance to grow back unless you make sure to get every last bit of the root.

- Some people will go to extreme measures to get rid of this plant. They will burn it in a safe area after ripping it out or even while it is still in the ground. This is the worst thing you can do. First of all the fire can get our of your control and become a big blaze and could spread to your house or others. Also when you burn it you are also burning the urusiol that runs inside the plant. When this smoke-filled urusiol fills your lungs it will burn them and will make you very sick.

What You Can Do:

- Many find that when they keep mowing it when it grows back it will eventually give up and die. However, you must be cautious about this because the mulched parts will mix in with the leaves around the yard. Cutting it off at the ground is another way to kill it. Again you will have to keep cutting it as it grows back and until it gives up and dies. The problem with this is that it could take a few years for it to finally die.

- One of the safest ways to kill the plant is to cover the ground vine with black plastic until it dies from lack of sunshine and oxygen. Once dead you will need to replace it with a new plant immediately to ensure that it does not grow back.

- If all else fails you can go out and purchase Roundup weed killer. However, this should be your last resort and you must be careful with it. Roundup weed killer is powerful and there is a chance it might kill the plants you love that surround the poison ivy. It should only be used when you have a large number of poison ivy plants growing in your garden.

Word Of Caution:

Whichever way you choose please make sure that you wear protective gloves over your hands to protect the exposed skin. Also wear long pants, lone sleeve shirts, and boots with socks. Leave no area of your skin unprotected. Also please make sure that your children are safely inside the house and teach them not to touch it.

Editor PoisonIvyCure.net

I hope to teach parents and children how to recognize the poison ivy plant and what to do when they have been infected. It is important to avoid this plant at all costs so as not to suffer the burning and itching sensation it leaves in its wake. Also learn how to protect your children from poison ivy.