# Poison ivy less potent in winter



## Brush Hog (Jan 17, 2009)

I've got a cheery tree in my yard that I've been avoiding due to the ivy but now it's just in the vine stage is it better to remove tree now. I'm really trying to avoid getting that crap all over my gear. Yes, I may sound like a wimp but I'm not so concerned with me but my daughters like to come up to me and give me a hug when I come through the door. I'd sure as hell hate to give it to my 6 & 4 year olds.


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## zr900 (Jan 17, 2009)

Poison ivy to me is a non issue. I can daymn near swim in the stuff and not get it. My Dad and Brother on the other hand can get it in the middle of the winter when we cut trees that have it. 

Just remember to take a cool shower instead of a hot one if you do get it.

Guess I didn't answer your question though.


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## Rftreeman (Jan 17, 2009)

you can still get it, just be sure to clean up before you go home, get all the dust and mess off and change you clothes as soon as you get in before anyone touches you and you should be ok.


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## brushbandit (Jan 17, 2009)

You can still get it but not as bad, plus you are covered up in the winter which helps. After working with it wash in cold water, not hot. Tecnu works well also.


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## forestryworks (Jan 17, 2009)

i find you get it just as bad during the winter... as there are no leaves to identify the plant with.

around here it looks just like greenbriar


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## smokechase II (Jan 17, 2009)

*Dry*

If the plant is dryer (winter) then the pitch/sap are not as likely to spread the urisol (sp?) oil. Good call.

================

Better call. Totally dry them out by cutting the bottom of the main stems and letting those completely dry out. This will not eliminate the possibilty of .........

Don't burn or chip the plant.


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## Bigbrass1's (Jan 17, 2009)

here man go out with the facts in hand. Poison ivy is just as bad winter summer or even dead 

http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view


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## Dadatwins (Jan 17, 2009)

You can still get it in the winter. The oil is still in the vine. Get some disposable coveralls from a paint supply house and toss them after. Toss your gloves also. The oil sticks to everything so watch your eyeglasses and helmet also. Wash your clothes seperate from the rest of the house. I got it once on my wrist under my watch band. Had a perfect rash the same as a wristwatch. You can spread it to others while the oil is still on you or your clothes so be careful. Guy I worked with years ago gave it to his girlfriend after stopping by her house on way home  and his wife ended up with it from doing the laundry later that night. They were pissed at him for a while. :jawdrop:


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## outdoorlivin247 (Jan 17, 2009)

I get poison ivy w/ the best of them...You are less likely to get it in the winter b/c what has been mentioned about covering up w/ clothes and the fact that the urushiol/sap has run out to protect the plant against weather...Urushiol can attach itself to clothes, tools or whatever and remain on it for years, so wash everything when you are finished...Also be careful burning the brush for the oil can be carried in the smoke and cause a systymatic reaction... It is unlikely that you would give it to the girls for the fact that it gets worse w/ multiple exposures...


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## ClimbinArbor (Jan 17, 2009)

its not so much the vines that get you in winter as it is the base of the plant when you cut it... 

might think about getting out an old handsaw and cutting it a couple of inches below the ground. this keeps Rover from rolling in it and going right to the girls for a hug. also keeps you from having it all over ya when your stumping.


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## forestryworks (Jan 17, 2009)

go dig up the poison ivy plant itself and grab it by the roots and tell me you don't itch... every inch of the plant is toxic


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## smokechase II (Jan 17, 2009)

*The oil is still there*

"Poison ivy is just as bad winter summer or even dead."

Can be.

But with a dryer plant condition you can reduce the spread capability of the plant to spread the oil. 

Of course think of gloves as disposable. Etc.

=============

My experience has been supportive of that.

However, stay away from poison oak. Bigger plants have so much more urisol.
Nothing like a 5" diameter vine starting up a tree to bring a grown man down to his knees.


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## smokechase II (Jan 17, 2009)

*The oil is still there*

*"Poison ivy is just as bad winter summer or even dead."*

Can be.

But with a dryer plant condition you can reduce the spread capability of the plant to spread the oil. 

Of course think of gloves as disposable. Etc.

=============

My experience has been supportive of that.

However, stay away from poison oak. Bigger plants have so much more urisol.
Nothing like a 5" diameter vine starting up a tree to bring a grown man down to his knees.


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## splittah (Jan 17, 2009)

Bigbrass1's said:


> here man go out with the facts in hand. Poison ivy is just as bad winter summer or even dead
> 
> http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view



 

My brother used to tell me you couldn't get it in winter, I get it bad... so he cut the tree trunk with it on it when I refused.. well, he usually does not get it too bad, but he was absolutely covered about a week later..

so yeah.. you can get it anytime. :greenchainsaw:


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## Brush Hog (Jan 17, 2009)

smokechase II said:


> But with a dryer plant condition you can reduce the spread capability of the plant to spread the oil.



That's what I was thinking. The good part is it's only up the trunk maybe 10' and very small vines.


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## outdoorlivin247 (Jan 17, 2009)

Brush Hog said:


> That's what I was thinking. The good part is it's only up the trunk maybe 10' and very small vines.



In that case I would just get a junk pair of gloves and pull it off the tree and throw the gloves away...Then cut the stump high enough to never get into it w/ the saw...


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## treeman82 (Jan 17, 2009)

As everybody on here has already said, you can get it in the winter, but it's less likely. A large part of the reason though is because the pores on your body are closed due to the cold. We can look at it another way... if you come into contact with it on an average day in the spring, you probably will get it. If you come into contact with it on a hot day in the middle of the summer, you are definately going to get it, and BAD. If you're worried though, just get some oral ivy. Stuff works wonders and is cheap. I took down a pretty big cherry tree in the summer that was covered in PI, and I didn't get it at all because I was prepared.


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## M.D. Vaden (Jan 17, 2009)

Brush Hog said:


> That's what I was thinking. The good part is it's only up the trunk maybe 10' and very small vines.



Even less is potent.

When I assembled my poison-oak page, I relayed the information that:

The amount of Urushiol that can cover the head of a pin, is enough to make 500 people itch.

Poison-oak / Urushiol

Less than a grain of salt.

Same chemical as poison ivy.


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## dingeryote (Jan 18, 2009)

O.P.,

I have a Blueberry farm. Poison Ivy is a constant fight.
We prune in the winter. We get Poison Ivy and sometimes BAD.

If ya mess with the crap, wash your clothes with a strong degreaser, then again normally, then one more time empty of clothes with the degreaser.

And then... Maybe one more time, and darn sure before your wife goes and washes her stuff. Women have NO sense of humor about some things.

One thing that might help with your tree is a "Booger hook".
I use 'em to Kill/cut vines between bushes in growing season, to keep from trashing fruit pulling vines and when I can't use herbicides.

Take a broom stick and cut a slot about 3" into the end.
Then dismantle a Cheapo Linolium knife, insert the tang of the blade into the cut, drill it, and run a screw through it.Then wire wrap it tight. Done.

Just hook the vine and pull. Ya never have to touch the stuff to cut or remove it from where you have to work. 
Just remember that the little hairs from the vine are still there, so there will be some exposure, and any wood cut, the saw, and the chips are contaminated. You will get it, just not as much as if you were farting around with the vines directly.

Did I mention I hate the crap? 

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## RatchetJaw (Jan 18, 2009)

:greenchainsaw: I wouldnt touch it with the saw maybe a machette but not the saw also wear latex gloves or nitrile under your regular ones then throw them and the regular ones away . might consider 2 pairs of socks with plastic bags under them and try to cover your boots as well as you can I would go as far as thrash bags over the boots held in place with rubber bands or tape plastic is your friend hehe I like the idea of cover alls but just one issue I have with them getting them off is a chore and could just spread the stuff around . since its an oil based irratant a heavy coat of wd 40 on the equiptment after use might not hurt.just dont get it on the engine.just the housing and bar then wipe it off with a rag you dont like hehe.


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## Mike Van (Jan 18, 2009)

Years back I was bailing hay, one edge of the field was solid ivy. The worst of the bales, I kicked into the woods. That winter, feeding out that hay, I got poisen ivy. Even dry, it'll get you!


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## frodo (Jan 18, 2009)

i use tide detergent on all areas of skin that were exposed during my climb, it leaves the skin mildly irritated for a few hours but zaps the ivy and leaves me mountain fresh


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## splittah (Jan 18, 2009)

some peolpe get it while some do not also..

I swear I get it just by looking at it.. LOL
I had it so bad one time while I was young it covered my entire body.

My wife on the other had, can grab ahold of it with her bare hands and not get any at all. If I find a vine on a tree, she will come out and grab it, pull it off ( all the while I watch from afar LOL) and she will go back inside with me still out there shaking my head, and nothing at all for her.. she never gets it.  

I am waiting for the day her body chemistry finally changes...:greenchainsaw:


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## smokechase II (Jan 18, 2009)

*allergy*

The physician who did the Retin A studies is the same one who did the definitive work on urisol back in the 1950's.

He came to the conclusion that if a large population was exposed to enough urisol that eventually 95% would get the rash. But that last 5% wouldn't and he didn't know why.

Of course we still don't understand why the immune system works the way it does.

************

Your sister may never get it.

My brother did. Yes!


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## Brush Hog (Jan 19, 2009)

The real kicker is it's wasted firewood. Hmmm strip the bark off :jawdrop:


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## PA Plumber (Jan 19, 2009)

It's funny to see this thread this evening ~ Well, not really funny.  

I am currently into my third day of a 12 day course of steroids for severe poison ivy.

That post from last week on the Black Locust tree? Yep, it was loaded with PI vines. I even cut the vines in the beginning of October, to help with the sap.

The tree was felled a week ago today, and I worked on it a couple of other days last week.

I currently have poison ivy over most of both wrists and forearms, up the back of my right arm, on both hands, on my face in two places, on both legs, my right foot, and a dab on my stomach.

It's going away but what a pain - literally. This is the second time I have gotten PI like this in the winter. Have never gotten it this bad in the summer.


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## OLD CHIPMONK (Jan 20, 2009)

Man I look at the stuff & have a severe reaction. Swelling all over arms,face, neck,hands or any part contacted. Take some good advice from the old guy----go to the doctor & get a corti-steroid shot( a dose & 1/2). The stuff will dry out in 3 days. The tablet regiment helps but it ain't no cure. Live better thru drug consumption or whatever.:jawdrop: :jawdrop:


Guaranteed results


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## Upidstay (Jan 21, 2009)

There's a product on the market, I think it's called Ivarest, or something. Should be next to the calamine lotion at the store. Anyway, you put it on your skin before you work with/around any of your rash giving plants. Works great. A woman I worked with would get it so bad she looked like Rocky after 15 rounds vs Apollo Creed. Both eyes swelled shut once for two days. She uses this poison ivy preventer and swears by the stuff. 

And yes, you can still get it during the winter. I would always wear an old cover all and gloves, then just toss it in the trash before getting back into the truck. Someone wrote about being careful burning the stuff, as you can in fact get poison ivy in your lungs. Sounds very unpleasant.


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## forestryworks (Jan 21, 2009)

Upidstay said:


> as you can in fact get poison ivy in your lungs. Sounds very unpleasant.



can be deadly in the lungs


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## Upidstay (Jan 22, 2009)

The more I think about it, I remember a guy who died from it when I was a kid. It was at least 30 years ago, so not sure what treatments were available. He was clearing brush in the winter, which included alot of poison ivy/sumac. I think he basically coughed himself to death. Sounds like a nasty way to go.


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## 1953greg (Jan 22, 2009)

ive been in the stuff for 50 yrs and almost never have a reaction. the only exception is when/how i take a leak. have to b very careful in the sensitive area there. and thats not funny:censored: :censored:


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## PA Plumber (Jan 22, 2009)

I used to never get it. 

The first time was when we burnt out a fence row on the farm. Working in a bunch of smoke that day. I think I was 9 or 10 years old.

Ended up in the Emergency room and taking many treated baths for relief. I am told it was all over my person, under armpits, personal areas, in my ears, eyes, nose, etc. For some reason, I don't remember much about it. ~ Thankfully! ~

Now I get it at every whip stitch.


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## Brush Hog (Jan 23, 2009)

Well I'm going to chunk the tree down to start of PI then drop the 10 ft. piece and cut it into 3 section load it(carefully) in the truck and take it to the landfill. Hit the dump body and let them worry about it.


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## Wishie22 (Jan 25, 2009)

Brush Hog said:


> I've got a cheery tree in my yard that I've been avoiding due to the ivy but now it's just in the vine stage is it better to remove tree now. I'm really trying to avoid getting that crap all over my gear. .



I used a Ive Killer by Bayer (bought it at HomeDepot). Cut the ive back with a hachet, and when the new frest leaves grew in sprayed the leaves. The ive started drying up in a couple of days, kills the roots so be careful how much U use it is potent :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :jawdrop: . Took out a little grass with it too.


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