[Community_garden] how to deal with poison ivy

[Kuberek, Morgen]

Hi there-

 

I'm a fairly new member of the listserv and haven't posted anything
before, but am always inspired by the amount of activity generated here.
I have a question about poison ivy that some of you may be able to
answer.  As part of my job, I've been assigned to develop a community
greenspace in a somewhat distressed neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio.  I'm
heartened to hear about all of your positive experiences in areas like
these.  I'm very much interested in sustainability, and the role that
community gardens and greenspaces can play, but I admit that I don't
know very much about gardening (my experience is limited to the
container gardens on my apartment balcony).  I'm trying to get up to
speed quickly, as you can imagine. 

 

We hope to have several solid volunteers by the spring time, but before
I can get anyone out at the site, I have a major poison ivy problem to
manage.  We have one electrical pole with so much poison ivy on it that
you could mistake it for a tree ( I am calling the power company about
that one), but we also have poison ivy just generally throughout the
site and the neighboring yard.

 

Does anyone know the best way to get rid of the poison ivy this winter
before volunteers get out there?  Is there an organic herbicide that I
should consider?  Do I have to dig up the site or is there a spray
application? What if it snows after the application?  How long before
planting of the other plants would I need to do this (in other words,
would it's presence in the soil kill the other plants?)

 

Thanks for all your help.  I'm hoping to clear this up before it causes
a delay in the start of our project.

 

Morgen Kuberek

Americorps Member

 

 

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