Loosecanon wrote:
"Jonno" wrote in message
...

Ms Leebee wrote:

Hi all.

We moved into a house that has had its fencelines hacked by invasive,
crazy, overgrown ivy. We filled 2 skips with it ( and other junk ), and
still have to dig out the trunks, which we will do when the fences come
down to be replaced, in a few weeks time.

Anyway, the ivy has been there so long, I keep finding new underground
shoots, trying to re-establish themselves. The sawn-off trunks are
trying to regrow, etc etc. I have been told the only thing to do with
ivy is to poison it, however I am concerned about poisoning the soil, and
affecting the trees I will eventually want to grow along the new
fenceline.

1. - Will I be able to rid myself of ivy by simply ripping it all out (
to the best of my ability )
2. - If I need poison, is there a method or type of poison that will only
affect the ivy ?
3. - If I need poison, how do I apply it ?
4. - Any other advice or alternatives/tricks welcome

Thanks in advance.

Re Ivy.
Be very careful with this stuff.
You will get itchiness after exposure to it, and it seems that exposure is
cumulative and you wonder why you are itching.

See these websites regarding this
It appears that Ivy's are related to the poisom Ivy from America and were
grown here at one point....... They looked so nice......


Unknown itchiness
http://www.healthfirst.net.au/content/view/1121/42/

Contact allergies with plants local Aussie site
http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/contactderm.html


Revenge of the plants
http://ncnatural.com/wildflwr/obnxious.html

Anyway enough of the negative stuff. It pays to get rid of it whatever it
is. My neighbour suffered badly and I didnt realise why I was always
itchy.
Turns out I was in contact with it and didnt realise it, and it turns
itchy after exposure, a few days mostly, which leaves you puzzled...
Then when someone who really reacts to the stuff gets it, the penny
drops....


I suffer badly from hayfever whenever I get in contact with ivy. Is rather
embarassing when working in someones garden and you have tears streaming
down your face and absolutely no control over it. Antihistamines are so good
then. I was told it was the dust on the back of the leaves containing small
mites.

I am glad I don't come up in welts. I now tell people get someone else to do
there ivy.

Cheers

Richard




Mites could be sucking the oil in the leaves...
The problem is apparently that there is some kind of oil which causes
the reactions. whatever, I try and stay clear of it now. also burning
the ivy causes even worse problems..
The Howard government says anyone can grab a mower and cut grass and
have a job (in this drought?), but they havent seen the effects this
stuff can have on you when you do.. Any vegetation can set it of at
times.... Yeah hayfever etc crazy all over itchy face, all over body
itchiness, a real problem when driving, it gets you all of a sudden....

Heres some details of it....
From the website http://www.cwss-scm.ca/Weeds/poisonous_weeds.htm

Anacardiaceae (cashew family)

The roots, stems, leaves and fruits of the following Rhus species
contain an oil that produces an irritating dermatitis in humans after an
initial sensitization. Sensitivity to the poisonous oil varies greatly
from person to person, and even during different periods in the same
persons lifetime. Humans are not born sensitive to the oil, and
therefore are not affected with the dermatitis on first contact with the
plants. However, most people can be sensitized after a single contact.
In general, children are more sensitive than adults, and people with a
light skin react more than those with a pigmented skin. Since the
poisonous oil must contact the cells beneath the skin layer, the
dermatitis is most common and most severe in areas with thin skin. All
of the following Rhus species have clusters of yellow flowers and,
later, whitish berries. Colored illustrations of all poisonous Rhus taxa
here.

Rhus diversiloba Torr. & Gray- western poison-oak
Usually a trailing vine, confined to the extreme west coast of the
United States and southern coast of British Columbia. Native to North
America.

Rhus radicans L. var. negundo (Greene) G. A. Mulligan- central poison-ivy
Usually a climbing vine; most common in in the north-central United
States and extreme southern Canada.

Rhus radicans L. var. radicans- eastern poison-ivy
Usually a climbing vine; most common in the eastern United States and
southeastern Canada. Native to North America.

Rhus radicans L. var. rydbergii (Small ex Rydb.) Rehd.- Rydberg’s poison-ivy
A trailing vine; most common in the northern United States and southern
Canada.

Rhus vernix L.- poison sumac
Tall shrub to 20 feet (6m.) high; occasional in swamps and wet locations
in the eastern United States, southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.