Ortho Brush-B-Gone
Poison oak and poison ivy are silent enemies in the yards and gardens of many people who live in areas where these plants thrive. Unfortunately, you may not discover that you've got some growing in your yard until the appearance of an itchy, angry red rash on your skin lets you know about it – and once you've experienced it, you'll be understandably eager to seek vengeance.
Everyone is srongly advised to get rid of poison oak and poison ivy growing on their property. Even if you happen to be one of the lucky few who has no allergic reaction to the urushiol contained in these weeds, leaving them to flourish will put other people at risk. Urushiol can be carried on the fur of animals to their owners, or transferred to skin via anything that's come into contact with it – so even if you yourself have no reaction to it, spare a thought for your family, guests or neighbors, who could easily be exposed to the urushiol from these plants just by being in your home or garden, without ever touching the plants themselves.
There are plenty of chemical solutions on the market to help eradicate poison ivy and poison oak. One of the most popular varieties is Ortho Brush-B-Gone Poison Ivy Oak & Brush Killer, which comes in various forms. If you only have a very small smattering of the toxic weeds in your yard, you can simply buy a ready to spray bottle. Alternatively, if you have a larger area to cover, there are concentrated solutions available for you to dilute as much as you need and use in your own sprayer.
As with all herbicides, Ortho Brush-B-Gone Poison Ivy Oak & Brush Killer works best when the plants are actively growing, so use it in the spring or early summer for maximum effect. For spraying, you should choose a day when there is little to no wind (to control the spread of the spray to plants that you don't want to kill!), and also no rain forecast for at least a few hours, preferably more. Remember to take appropriate precautions to protect yourself from both the plants and the spray – don't leave any skin exposed, wear gloves, and avoid breathing in the spray. You may wish to use a mask when you do this.
The Ortho Brush-B-Gone Poison Ivy Oak & Brush Killer should be sprayed on to leaves and stems until they are soaked – they will then drink in the solution and transport it to the roots, which is where the chemical will do its work. Alternatively, you can prune the plants and “paint on” the full-strength liquid to the exposed stumps. Within a few days of applying the solution, you should notice the poison ivy or poison oak beginning to droop and die. If you've had a particularly large area to deal with, you can then go back to see what you've missed, and tackle any remaining patches. Don't forget to check again the following spring to make sure that no roots have survived! After that, you should be free from poison oak/ivy – this is a great solution, reasonably priced and easy to use. You can buy it online here.
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