# Poison Ivy on Trunk



## Jerry_NJ (Jul 3, 2008)

I have dealt with a limited amount of poison ivy vine on the trunks of firewood and have never suffered from an associated poison ivy rash.  I do react to poison ivy.

Today I took a survey of some woods at the back of my property and noted two dead trees, White Ash most likely species, that had blown over and are leaning against a nearby tree.  One, with a single trunk about 14" diameter at the bottom and perhaps at least 6" at 40 feet up has large dead poison ivy vines over most of its length. These vines must be 3" in diameter and hairy, and were cut to break connection to the ground three or four years ago.  My question is:  Do poison ivy vines that have been dead and exposed to open air for more than one year still have active irritant in/on them?

Wood looks like too good for firewood to leave for the natural 20 year decay process, so I plan to harvest. 

Thanks,
Jerry


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## jabush (Jul 3, 2008)

Even when dead, the oils contained in poison ivy are persistant and will hang around for a looong time.
Probably not as potent as a live vine, but I would be careful nonetheless.  Especially if you're real allergic.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 3, 2008)

Best way I have found to remove the vines from tree trunks is to use plastic bread wrappers. Put you hand all the way into the bag, grab the vine and pull the bag inside out and seal it.


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## RAY_PA (Jul 3, 2008)

I was just in the same position, I cut the vine 2 years ago and it was still stuck to the tree when I just cut/split it......I got 'poison', I was as careful as I could be, with the saw dust and such flying around. It wasnt as bad as dealing with a 'live' one.

I hate poison ivy


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## BrotherBart (Jul 3, 2008)

This thread inspired me. I have a huge oak here by the house that the top blew out of a few years ago. I have stayed away from dropping the trunk because of two huge poison ivy vines running up the side that I clipped to kill last year.

After reading this I just went out and tied a rope to the vines and the garden tractor and pulled them and the bark off of that side of the tree. That dude is headed for the woodpile tomorrow.


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## sinnian (Jul 3, 2008)

Ahhhh man, I'll probably get poison ivy now just reading this  That's how allergic I am - lol


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## fossil (Jul 3, 2008)

I'll tell ya, I'm just_ itchin' _to get my hands on some of that stuff!   :lol:   Rick


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## BrotherBart (Jul 3, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> I'll tell ya, I'm just_ itchin' _to get my hands on some of that stuff!   :lol:   Rick



Just PM me your mailing address. I have a thirty foot strip of it laying in the edge of the woods now. When the dope sniffing dog at the postal distribution center takes a whiff he will be running away in pain.

And I will be doing 7-10 at Club Fed.


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## NHFarmer (Jul 3, 2008)

I once sold a cord of wood to a customer.There was poison ivy growing around the wood pile,I thought nothing of it.I ran into him a while later and I asked him how the wood was.He told me the wood was great,strange thing was they all had poison ivy.He asked me if you could catch it mid winter?I just kept my mouth shut


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, I'll take care.  I am not hyper-allergenic to poison ivy, but it does affect me, more so the older I get.

NHFarmer raises an "interesting" extra dimension, poison ivy oils on firewood that one doesn't know about.  This applies to those who think simply removing the vine is sufficient...handle the subject splits with some protection on.  Well, maybe if the bark is also removed the splits will be safe for bare hands.


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## RedRanger (Jul 4, 2008)

What about a "controlled burn"..?   pick the right time and and pile a bunch of crap around the area and burn it.   will only slightly char the soon to be firewood, but should obilerate the poison ivy.  blackened vines don`t carry no poison juice, eh??


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## johnsopi (Jul 4, 2008)

I have cut trees with P.I after I'm finished I wash really well with soap and water. I hate getting it on me.


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## sinnian (Jul 4, 2008)

sonnyinbc said:
			
		

> What about a "controlled burn"..?   pick the right time and and pile a bunch of crap around the area and burn it.   will only slightly char the soon to be firewood, but should obilerate the poison ivy.  blackened vines don`t carry no poison juice, eh??



I have heard of cases where people have had a poison ivy reaction internally due to burning poison ivy in a burn pile.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 4, 2008)

For sure never put wood with poison ivy in a stove or fireplace. Lots of documented proof available that when burned the stuff will get into your lungs and you will never feel such pain from anything in your life. If you live.

Now if you stay inside all the time and have a neighbor that you really hate....

Every year I enjoy the privilege of the best fishing spot on the Shenandoah River available at a friends place. It is in the middle of a lush patch of poison ivy and has no effect on me. The rest of the guys won't go near it. But I fully realize that even though you think you are "immune" that anybody can screw up and get knocked to their knees by that stuff.

Especially by burning it and breathing it.


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## PeteD (Jul 4, 2008)

Without a doubt, do not intentionally burn poison ivy.

Pete


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## PeteD (Jul 4, 2008)

I just cut the base of the poison ivy vine with a handsaw....let sit for several months and then use gloves to remove it from the trunk.

Also, kill the young ones with Ortho Brush-B-Gon - works great.  Don't waste your time with Round Up or other general herbicides - you need brush killer.

Pete


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

Ok, is pulling the vine off of the trunk enough to allow burning the trunk?  Sounds like there is a chance the vine will leave some oil on the trunk when the vine is removed...will burning the "small" amount of ivy oil cause respiratory problems.?


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## BrotherBart (Jul 4, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Ok, is pulling the vine off of the trunk enough to allow burning the trunk?  Sounds like there is a chance the vine will leave some oil on the trunk when the vine is removed...will burning the "small" amount of ivy oil cause respiratory problems.?



I will be able to tell you winter after next.


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## PeteD (Jul 4, 2008)

I think the trunk of another tree will be fine, especially after sitting for a summer if possible.  Urushiol (the poison in the ivy) does break down, especially in the sun and at elevated temperatures.

I have burned a lot of brush that was touching poison ivy with no ill effects - BUT I let the stuff sit for a season and I do not burn the poison ivy.

Pete


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## RedRanger (Jul 4, 2008)

For goodness sake!!  I meant to say, burn it outside where it resides.  Pile lots of crumbs-aka needles, cones etc around it, and then a little diesel. then torch it.  stand by with a hose, "water filled" of course.  Let it fry, so it chares the wood a little ,, big deal.

Ivy is gone, wood is only charred on the outside, and then you can split it to your heart`s content --  rash free.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 4, 2008)

sonnyinbc said:
			
		

> For goodness sake!!  I meant to say, burn it outside where it resides.  Pile lots of crumbs-aka needles, cones etc around it, and then a little diesel. then torch it.  stand by with a hose, "water filled" of course.  Let it fry, so it chares the wood a little ,, big deal.
> 
> Ivy is gone, wood is only charred on the outside, and then you can split it to your heart`s content --  rash free.



Don't burn it any way anywhere. I am starting to think this Canuck wants to hurt Yanks!


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## RedRanger (Jul 4, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> sonnyinbc said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You ain`t a Yank, so what are you worried about


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## fossil (Jul 4, 2008)

sonnyinbc said:
			
		

> ...You ain`t a Yank, so what are you worried about



Well, technically, since 1865 he is.  Haven't you heard Lee Greenwood sing about it?   hh:  Rick


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## RedRanger (Jul 4, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> sonnyinbc said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I haven`t Rick, but will wikopedia it.  However, I have an old album kicking around somewhere where there is a song about "Southern`s Never Yield"..  Think it is called (The Homespun Dress).  words like- I envy not the northern girl where jewels bedeck her hair, but rather prefer the homespun dress that southern girls wear, or something like that.

Anyway, you are forgeting that BB is not really a Virginian,he is a Texas transplant, and after that war was over , most of those boys hightailed to Mexico, rather than surrender. And if you look at his posts, he ain`t surrendered to no one.  No Sir, that boy is not the surrendering type.     Evil as he is ;-P


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## sinnian (Jul 4, 2008)

Well he is more of a "Yank" than a "Canuck".   Though some may say that being in Maine, I am more of a "Canuck" then you Sonny - lol


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

The problem I have "Torching" the poison ivy is the tree that has the long ago cut ivy vines is at least 600' from my house, water hose.  Anyway, this discussion has been instructive and interesting (and funny).  I will pull the ivy off before I  buck the log into split length (<18") and then will handle the rounds with some care out of concern for ivy oil on the trunk...knock off bark too if possible, then wash good when I get back to the house.


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## RedRanger (Jul 4, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> The problem I have "Torching" the poison ivy is the tree that has the long ago cut ivy vines is at least 600' from my house, water hose.  Anyway, this discussion has been instructive and interesting (and funny).  I will pull the ivy off before I  buck the log into split length (<18") and then will handle the rounds with some care out of concern for ivy oil on the trunk...knock off bark too if possible, then wash good when I get back to the house.



Then wait until fall.  Jerry, I have done this )*&^ before.  I didn`t mean to do it when there is a danger of fire spreading.  Patience, or if no patience, then at least wear gloves, and probably a carbon mask.  the stuff is kinda toxic.

I just know that burning is neat.   anywhere I have burned, like a slash burn, man, I can grow almost anything there afterwards.,  Rhodos, hydrangeas, campanulias, etc. just take off like wildfire.  it just does something to the soil, that makes plants grow like crazy.    Or maybe I am just a crazy Canuck


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## cmonSTART (Jul 4, 2008)

I caught it from a dying ash tree I cut last year to burn.  Sure enough, I had it on my forearms after that.  Thankfully I don't catch it as badly as when I was a kid.  Even though we suffered no ill effects from burning it (I had removed the vines), if I had to do it again I would debark the wood first just to be safe.  

Poison ivy is EVIL


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## stanleyjohn (Jul 4, 2008)

I also have some wood with the evil ivy on it.What i did is cut to desired lengh then stack it away from main wood pile.After the wood seasons abit the bark will fall off taking the poison ivy with it.Just keep covered up while cutting and wash up real good soon after.


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks all.

Yes, fire is a natural event in the forest, and does in fact support diversity of plants and is in fact required by some pine seeds to get them to germinate.  Still, with the fires in California I look with a bit of fear at the woods I live near, I have open grass areas around my house at least 100' wide, but if the woods were to go "up" , the house would be a goner.  The big difference between NJ and the California fire areas is RAIN, in fact we're having showers now and expect to see more over the next several days.  Still, there is a lot of fuel laying around.


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## sapratt (Jul 4, 2008)

sinnian said:
			
		

> Ahhhh man, I'll probably get poison ivy now just reading this  That's how allergic I am - lol



I'm the same way.  My problem I never new what it looked like till about a week ago.  I wanted to see if this vine growing on our fence was poison ivy.


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## Pine Knot (Jul 4, 2008)

I am not overly sensitive to Poison Ivy but I find I have to be very careful when cutting Ivy encased wood with a chainsaw and open cuffed gloves. The sawdust thrown aft collects in the cuffs of my gloves and being fresh and juicy will poison my wrists.


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## cncpro (Jul 4, 2008)

When (not if) you next catch poison ivy there is no need to suffer with it.  It can be treated easily with prednisone for large scale infections or even better for small areas my doctor prescribed me a tube of Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream.  A couple days of treatment with that cream and it is feeling 95% better.


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

cncpro said:
			
		

> When (not if) you next catch poison ivy there is no need to suffer with it.  It can be treated easily with prednisone for large scale infections or even better for small areas my doctor prescribed me a tube of Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream.  A couple days of treatment with that cream and it is feeling 95% better.



OK. get your head out, if you can remember, never mind spell, the medications you state above, I don't trust you :lol: 

We have a bottle, hard to find these days, may order some over the web, of "green soap" which seems to be a good first step in getting the poison ivy oils off the skin.

I took my string cutter into the woods this afternoon to clear the ground cover about the subject tree and kicked at some of the vines.  It was very dry and broke away, along with some bark.  The vines have been dead for several years, and I suspect the tree has been leaning over onto another tree for a couple of years too.  I just haven't visited this part of my property in some time.  I think the oils may be mostly gone/dried-up.

The new fireplace insert has raised my interest in home-grown firewood.  I did find a listing today for delivered cord wood by a tree service today, they may soon change the price, but is now posted at $195 per cord...well that's another subject, how much does one really get in "their" cord.  I'm going to check them out, the most I'm going to harvest off of my property this year is a about one cord. . some with poison ivy recently removed.


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## cncpro (Jul 4, 2008)

In my defense I had to read the hard one off the tube...   ;-)   LOL


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## anilawr (Jul 4, 2008)

If you’ve been exposed to poison ivy, wash thoroughly with Dawn dish detergent and cool water within 20 minutes getting into the stuff.  Dawn will strip the oils from your skin just like it gets grease off dishes.   And if you already have a case of poison ivy, a hair dryer held as close to the skin as you can stand it will dry it up quickly.  The heat helps take the itch out, too.


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 4, 2008)

Hum, interesting...especially the hair drier part.  It is my understanding that one should use only cold water when dealing with bad oils on the skin, this keeps the pores closed, real bad when the oil has a chance to soak into open pores.  Dawn, or other dish soap I'd assume.  We use Joy, must work about the same.


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## crazy_dan (Jul 6, 2008)

I hate it when people burn poison ivy, I got it real bad once when somebody was burning a brush pile and the wind shifted and blew the smoke at us all day at work, spent about a week with my eyes almost swollen shut, and my throat nearly swollen shut as well.

If you want to get rid of poison ivy get some of these, they love the stuff and eat the heck out of it, the best part I don,t have to touch it spray it cut nothing, Just watch it disappear


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## RedRanger (Jul 6, 2008)

Crazy Dan--you ain`t so crazy after all.   those damn things will eat any and everything in sight.  You are going to have to change your handle now.  lets see.??  at a loss.?  smart move though, no kidding, no pun intended with the kid thing.

Yep, those critters are absoutley walking garbage cans.


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## crazy_dan (Jul 6, 2008)

yep they eat everything I don't like poison ivy, sumac, oak, and tri-floral roses. Plus they are good eats as well


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## begreen (Jul 6, 2008)

Do you get an itch in your belly afterward?


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## Cluttermagnet (Jul 6, 2008)

Years ago, my then Father-in-law, who was a photographer, advised me that 'photographer's hypo' solution worked great to ease poison ivy symptoms and accelerate healing. Darned if it didn't work! These days, I usually apply Cortizone 10 ointment to affected areas. It eases the itch a lot. Cortisone is another steroid, but unlike heavy duty Prednisone, it is pretty safe. BTW do not ever let a doctor keep you on Prednisone long term. That stuff is bad news! Brief use is OK, long term is real bad.


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## richg (Jul 6, 2008)

Poison ivy, my nemesis. I have seen a few news clips on how the stuff is becoming more potent and widespread due to human activity; first, it is using increased levels of carbon dioxide as rocket fuel. Next, it loves "border" areas, such as along roads, tree lines etc. I live in what seems to be the poison ivy capital of the world, and it's amazing how many homeowners don't do a damned thing about it. There are several spots on one of my jogging routes where poison ivy vines have completely engulfed trees and their branches protrude over sidewalks where an unsuspecting person would easily bump in to them. While others have mentioned that roundup is not effective, I have used generic glyophosphate with very good success. The Brush B Gone does sound interesting, though. You can get the active ingredient for far less in generic form:   

http://www.genericherbicides.com/triclopyr4ec.aspx


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## Jerry_NJ (Jul 6, 2008)

Crazy_Dan,  Nice goats, and so clean too, did you give them all a bath before the photo?  We have a neighbor with two goats and three sheep, they used to browse on our property some, but he's since fixed the fence.  He also has in "industrial strength" backhoe and together they have removed a lot of wild rose, and from the looks of the dirt, everything else.


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## crazy_dan (Jul 6, 2008)

not my goats just a photo off the net. I just thought they were pretty so I used them (http://www.newfarm.org/features/0704/meatgoat/index.shtml) 
my goats are all in the woods and wont see much of them till it freezes and they run of of stuff to eat then they come down to the house for hay and grain.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 7, 2008)

The oil will stick around for a long time, but I do have doubts that vines that long dead exposed to rain/wind/sun would not have lost the oils due to normal decomposition.

If worried- let the wood sit and the barkget loose, then compost it.  Don't burn it.  Poison ivy smoke is a big issue for firemen dealing with brush fires, as noted above.  Composting it will eliminate the oils PDQ, as it does for juglone and other weird biochemicals in vegetable matter.  I saw a study on composting animals to get rid of infectious diseases like bird flu- if they trust it for that- your poison ivy toxin is toast.


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## savageactor7 (Jul 10, 2008)

If you're a wood cutter chances are you'll get poison ivy. What my wife got me is 'Tecnu' made be tec labs in albany Or. Now when I'm cutting wood I keep some in my tool bag you're supposed to wash with it but I've had excellent results just putting it on as a lotion and leaving it on while I continue to cut. Now the little bit of rash I get I can control with off the shelf stuff instead of going to the docs for a prescription of cortisone...which I have done for over 20 years in a row.  All serious cutters should keep Tecnu with them...it works wicked excellent.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 10, 2008)

Between my last post on this and now I got poison ivy.  I saw it on the ground where I bucked up some pine, but tried to be careful.  I have it in small spots- almost like weird bug bites, but it's definitely PI with the weepies and all.


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## oilstinks (Jul 11, 2008)

Here is a dedede moment for me. Killed poison ivy last year. Sprayed it again this year. Pulled it off the fence with a rake and put it in a burning brush pile (mind you the poison was for sure dead) im now eat up with it. Just a note for those who care.


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## RedRanger (Jul 11, 2008)

oilstinks said:
			
		

> Here is a dedede moment for me. Killed poison ivy last year. Sprayed it again this year. Pulled it off the fence with a rake and put it in a burning brush pile (mind you the poison was for sure dead) im now eat up with it. Just a note for those who care.



Now that is even a better idea, let`s say Roundup.   And then "burn baby burn"..   works for me.


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## woodconvert (Jul 11, 2008)

Have not read all the posts but I had an old farmer tell me the stuff that stays on the ground is poision ivy....the stuff that climbs trees is poision oak. Dunno if he's right or not but the stuff on the ground, if you get it bad is easily cured by bleach. Just scuff it up a bit and pour it on and no more itch. It works for me every time. The vines on the trees....doesn't work that way for me...bleach won't touch it. I have to get a shot or two (steriods I think). My $.02 is the stuff you get from the vines is 1000% worse than the ground stuff.


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## billb3 (Jul 11, 2008)

IIRC, poion oak is a tree/bush and only exists west of the Mississippi.

the poison oil is even in the roots (ground or tree) and will oooze out even in February in Ma.
worst time I've found to rastle with poison sumac/ivy is Fall when the leaves are brittle and break easy.


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## fisherman73 (Jul 11, 2008)

I live in my own woods in southern oregon and although I have no poison Ivy, poison oak is probably my most abundant plant. The irritant is the same no matter which plant you are dealing with. I have found that undoubtably the best way to avoid a rash after contact is to wipe down thoroughly with rubbing alchohol. I have tried many expensive solutions and none compare. Do not reexpose for at least 12 hours as the alchohol will remove some of your natural defenses. Do no burn it, burning it will absolutly release a large quantity of urusheol, the toxin, into the smoke and it is very difficult to avoid. Also be careful not to get any into your wood stove as that could end up on you eventually as well. I say cover up good, wear gloves and clean with alchohol when you are done.


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## woodconvert (Jul 11, 2008)

billb3 said:
			
		

> IIRC, poion oak is a tree/bush and only exists west of the Mississippi.
> 
> the poison oil is even in the roots (ground or tree) and will oooze out even in February in Ma.
> worst time I've found to rastle with poison sumac/ivy is Fall when the leaves are brittle and break easy.



Allz I know is I get poison somethingerother pretty much all summer long and it's easily cured with bleach (over the counter meds don't seem to work). Last fall I was cutting a dead elm that had the vines on it and the saw did a good job of spreading the toxins and I got it one last time. Bleach would not touch it. I would have be the farm those were two different ivy's.


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## El Dia Octavo (Jul 16, 2008)

Just a note about poison ivy. My sister-in-law accidentally got it in her lungs from a neighbor who threw PI clippings on a burn pile. She was WEEKS healing from it and had she been exposed more extensively her doctor said it would have killed her. Fire does not destroy the resin, it spreads it. After her experience, I even turn off the ventilation system in our car when driving through a pall of smoke on the road. Moreover, I do not burn wood in my stoves that have been exposed to it.


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## Jerry_NJ (Oct 4, 2008)

I took down the tree that I was concerned about when I initiated this post.  As I said somewhere earlier, the ivy had been cut/dead for at least 3 years, more like 5 years.  I wore gloves, but there was so much ivy and the hairy ivy covering that I'm sure the gloves were not enough protection if there was any/much active ivy oil.  That was about 5 yours ago, and I have had a shower and change of cloths, and so far no sign of ivy problems.  

I still have to get the sections out of the woods and up to my shed.  I used the chain saw to cut the major ivy runs off of the tree trunk, but there's still some there that I'll knock off with a hatchet before carrying to my trailer.  From what I read on this post I don't want to simply put the bark with ivy on it in my fireplace insert.   

If I come down with ivy itch by morning I'll post here, otherwise, thanks for the discussion and advice, looks like I am ok but I am not sure if my experience proves anything about how long it takes ivy oils to become inert when exposed to the elements on a dead vine.


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## Duetech (Oct 5, 2008)

If there is any solid wood in the ivy vine there is oil in the wood. It takes a fungal breakdown of the oils to render them harmless. Basically meaning the stuff has to rot to be harmless to those who are sensitive to it. Burning it in a regular fire is not really safe but I don't mind torching it in my gasifier. Just make sure the ivy treated stuff is not the first row of wood on the coals and avoid any smoke. Fast orange works well with poison ivy if you use it RIGHT AWAY. I’m pretty sensitive to poison ivy and poison oak but have worked bare handed with it for just a few seconds then washed with Fast Orange and never had a blister. It’s the oil in the ivy/oak that causes the reaction and blisters. The orange works the oils out (and maybe makes them inert) so you can wipe them away. I still rinse off as soon as possible...Cave2k


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