Two springtime questions.......

[aquaman]

1) Does anyone know of a non-toxic way to kill poison oak/ivy?

2) Also, what is a good way to deter carpenter bees? They are attacking my house, literally


Help me please!! Whomever answers first gets a prize chosen just for you.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. I can't help on question 1, but

for the carpenter bees you can paint the wood & plug the holes with caulk. They only go after unpainted wood, not painted. Is this an option? I can ask around for others if it's impossible to paint, but I'm afraid it might be the only answer unless you're willing to use poisons.

[aquaman]

3. Actually, we live in a log home....

So the house is stained, not painted, They are really bad this year and I have no clue what to do other than buy a big broom.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. Could you still calk the holes?

Wouldn't the bees just die in there? Or would she keep drilling?

[aquaman]

7. I have done that to some....

But there are so many of them and there are probably like ten new "little" holes I've noticed this week. The bees are worse this year than I have ever seen.

[TygrBright]

2. There's toxic, and there's toxic.

I went to the ultra-organic politically correct-type place to see if I could find an alternative to glyphosate, and was told that they use undiluted vinegar. Which, while admittedly more, uh, "organic" than glyphosate, is HIGHLY toxic and lasts way, way longer in the soil than glyphosate, and causes many more problems for germinating seedlings, etc. Not to mention totally horking up the soil Ph.

In my experience you have two choices:

One: The "mechanical" method. This involves dressing up in old clothing plus a virtual (and disposable) hazmat suit: cheap coverall of non-porous material, non-porous gloves, non-porous shoe covers, etc. Plus a full head mask/breather. Use all-metal tools. Use heavy-grade plastic bags. Dig out the offenders, and bag immediately. Seal the bags. Be sure you've got it ALL. Take a fresh bag and CAREFULLY remove the hazmat gear and put it in the bag. Use a cheap pair of disposable garden gloves to carry all the bags to a truck bed or car trunk lined with newspaper. Did I mention, have a bathrobe and a washable laundry bag waiting inside the back door? When you get the bags loaded, go inside and take off your inner clothing layer and stuff it in the bag. Go shower--a long shower, let the water run all over. Wash the clothes. Drive the bags to a landfill or hazardous waste site.

Repeat in about ten weeks after the next round of seeds or chopped-off and missed rootlets starts growing.

Two: The "politically incorrect" method. Get a generic glyphosate spray and load it up in a single-purpose sprayer (you'll only ever use the sprayer for glyphosate application.) Dress in heavy, washable gear, including gloves, and cover all skin area. Wear safety goggles and mask. Carefully spray all the poison ivy/oak leaf surfaces. Store the glyphosate & sprayer safely, shuck off the gear and wash, shower as above. At LEAST two full weeks later (three is better) gear up again, take a couple of heavy plastic bags and clear any bulky remnants. Seal the bags carefully and dispose of properly. They won't be as dangerous, since they will have long since stopped exuding the toxic oils, but there may be some remaining.

Periodically check for new growth and get it while it's small. If you get it while it's small it will just wilt and decompose in place and you don't have to mess with it further.

Glyphosate breaks down very quickly (that is, the non-"extended" vareity does, which is what the generics are,) and is not immediately toxic to animal/human metabolism in small amounts. However, it is very toxic to non-woody plant growth so spray only on still days or in areas where blown/spread spray can't harm other plants.

I use glyphosate only for poison oak/ivy, witchweed, well-established bindweed, wiregrass, and a few other really horrid scourges. But I do use it for those. It's more effective than trying to dig them out (since many of them will re-root from even tiny fragments left behind in the soil) and less dangerous to me (I'm very allergic) than trying to deal with "live" poisons by mechanical methods.

compromisingly,
Bright

[aquaman]

4. Wow....

Thanks for the information. Had no clue that vinegar would have all of that impact on the soil. That was what one person told me to use.

[TygrBright]

6. Regular diluted vinegar won't do too much damage...

...but it won't kill your weeds, either. The strength that's effective on poison oak/ivy (tough customers) is essentially a very powerful acid. It will acidify your soil to a fare-thee-well.

It's also quite corrosive to skin and mucous membranes, which means (again) hazmat gear for the application.

diffidently,
Bright

[Gormy Cuss]

9. A boiling water and diluted vinegar combo will do a number on most plants.

It may not kill it, but it will knock it back a bit. I haven't resorted to a glyphosate product yet but I am tempted because I have so much bindweed but I have also avoided pure vinegar for the reasons you stated. I do use boiling water, followed by dilute vinegar on small areas outside of planting beds.

[aquaman]

10. Hmmmmm.

I will try that....

[politicat]

13. Gotta go with TygrBright on this one...

Glyphosate is not nearly as evil as older herbicides were, and for well established invasives or irritants, it's the only thing.

I spend most springs worshipping at the feet of glyphosate in my quest to eliminate bindweed. (We're near an open space that is not being weed managed well, so we have it every spring.)

The only other possible solution I can think of is to use a weed burner (they're basically upside down propane torches). However, the oils in PO/PI may survive a burn, and the roots probably will. They're also not always allowed in every muni, so YMMV.

As for the bees... how about putting wasp traps out for them and seeing what they do? They may go after the bait.

[LiberalEsto]

8. 1) rent a goat

Goats love poison ivy

Can't help with Q. # 2

[bleedingheart]

11. what ever you do....don't burn the poison oak or ivy...

it can be lethal...

My brother nearly killed himself....

[aquaman]

12. I have heard that....

I will not be doing that.

[XemaSab]

14. Use a commercial herbicide like glycophosphate

is accordance with the directions on the package.

When it comes to noxious weeds, don't faff around with trying to kill them yourself. :P