What did you do in the garden today?

[fuzzi]

One more thing...make sure you never burn it. I have a friend who did. They ended up in the hospital. It was in their sinuses, throat. They really got sick.

I always bag it. I knew a young man who also got very sick from burning poison ivy.

Mowing does not kill PI. Be careful when you dump the mower bag.

I've sprayed PI with Dawn/vinegar solution. Yes, it kills the leaves, more then sprout.

Seriously, take an antihistamine upon exposure to PI or if you notice the blisters popping out. It will reduce the allergic reaction, stop the itch.

 

[Sally PB]

I hate weeding. Have you ever used a stirrup hoe? My favorite tool for the garden. Don't want to weed without one and I can weed standing up! Yay!

I have read about these wonders. I need to get one!

Just remember to wash your clothes in cold water for 1 year.

A year??? Did you mean 1 hour?

 

[fuzzi]

Just remember to wash your clothes in cold water for 1 year. It sounds crazy but if you wash them in hot water the oils will be released into your skin.

I've never heard of using cold water to wash after exposure to PI. I use warm water, with detergent and a water conditioner like borax or washing soda (not baking soda).

Several web sites I just accessed recommend hot water or as hot as your clothing fabric can handle. An extra wash couldn't hurt. And wash contaminated clothes separately.

 

[EuroChook]

I observed it through a powerful telescope, since I am away right now. (No break-in attempts please. My chicken has the giblets that make her a powerful guard chicken). And...hmmm... the upkeep looks far less from this distance!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

You need more than an antihistamine for poison ivy rash. A wash specifically for removing the oil of the plant from your skin then topical treatment of the affected area with an ointment. Cortisone works for some people. I use Ivarest. It has diphenhydramine, calamine and a little alcohol to dry the rash. I have it on my feet around my ankles right now. Not fun. I have poison ivy all over my property. All the rain we’ve been getting makes it grow exponentially.

 

[fuzzi]

You need more than an antihistamine for poison ivy rash. A wash specifically for removing the oil of the plant from your skin then topical treatment of the affected area with an ointment. Cortisone works for some people. I use Ivarest. It has diphenhydramine, calamine and a little alcohol to dry the rash. I have it on my feet around my ankles right now. Not fun. I have poison ivy all over my property. All the rain we’ve been getting makes it grow exponentially.

Sorry to hear it. The antihistamine works for me. If the rash is slow to respond to the antihistamine I have Caladryl lotion, a mix of calamine and Benedryl.

 

[Sueby]

Morning!

There is no way anyone (me) is baking dirt in my kitchen, so I'm with DW there @gtaus! (we do have a spare oven in the shop DH uses for cerakoting tho)

My mom ends up in the hospital & on a month of steroids when she even goes near PI. She gets it in her lungs & then can't breathe - she gets it real bad.

I think the weather guys were sleeping - it's been raining/sprinkling for 2 days & all they said was showers yesterday am. We had the wettest July on record last month, I think Aug is trying to prove itself!

I picked green beans (& got attacked by mosquitos) yesterday, will blanch & freeze today. The cucumbers knocked over the trellis & tore off the side of the raised bed - I'm going to pick the last of the cukes & burn the bugs...err plants. Found the most giant squash on the volunteer, it had been hiding. Probably not good eats, too seedy, but maybe a cake. I bought some delish heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market & we had BLTs last night.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Sorry to hear it. The antihistamine works for me. If the rash is slow to respond to the antihistamine I have Caladryl lotion, a mix of calamine and Benedryl.

That’s my favorite.

 

[saysfaa]

Ds discovered mango skin also has urushiol oil. Only a little of it but enough that he reacts to it. He can still eat the mangos with no problem.

We (he and I) don't get much relief from meds. We do better with hot water. I read that causes the histimine cells in the skin to release to exhaustion which gives a couple of hours of relieve. It seems to be what happens. It feels quite odd while it releases.

And, yes, washing thoroughly with soap including everything you touched or that anything that touched. I read that the oil is similar to motor oil in how it clings and spreads from one surface to another - to help one understand what is needed to contain it and to clean it. That seems to be so.

I don't think the temperature of the water matters much. Using abundant amounts of water makes a lot more difference than the temperature. That might be partly because of my washing techniques though.

The part I read about there being an hour window to get it washed off before it bonds with your skin does not seem to be so for everyone. We have less time.

I have trouble keeping it out from under my fingernails with unpleasant consequences. I don't know if I scratch a lot too or it it is just from using my fingernails as tools.

 

[Smokerbill]

My dad claimed that he wasn't allergic to poison ivy, and demonstrated once by rubbing poison ivy leaves on his arm.

Regarding sterilizing soil, I wonder if putting some soil/compost in a black plastic bag and setting it in direct sunlight would get it hot enough to sterilize?