What did you do in the garden today?

[fuzzi]

Good advice. Mowing it will probably cut up the plant and release all kinds of poison ivy oil in the mower bag. Since poison ivy oil can cling to objects for over a year, the better option might be to gear up in protective clothing and pull the ivy out by the roots. I can see me emptying my mower bag months later, not using gloves, and getting infected from the poison ivy oil still on or in the bagger.



Speaking of that, could a person use a mini tiller on the poison ivy to dig it out by the roots, rake it up, and dispose of it (not burning)?

But could you be sure you got all the roots/vines?

 

[Sally PB]

I picked nearly a 5 gallon bucket of beans today. I'll be freezing them tomorrow. I pulled a LOT of weeds too. And some onions, which are drying on the porch. It was a good work in the garden day. Not too hot, and a nice breeze every now and then.

 

[gtaus]

But could you be sure you got all the roots/vines?

Well, I have never tried it, but I suspect you could not know if you got out all of the poison ivy roots. I think the only way to know if all the roots are out is if you manually pull them out by gloved hands. But using a mini tiller would probably be better than mowing them down, hitting them with the weed whacker, or pouring boiling water on the leaves. I don't think any of those other methods attack the roots, so the poison ivy would just regrow.

Again, I'm just talking aloud because I have no experience in removing poison ivy. I have been watching YouTube videos on removing poison ivy, and it appears to me that the "best" method is pulling out the plants by their roots.

 

[gtaus]

Yesterday, I picked an ice cream bucket full of cherry tomatoes, Today, I am washing them off, freezing them, and bagging them for storage. So far, I have three quart sized baggies full of cherry tomatoes in the freezer and have at least enough tomatoes for two more bags just from this latest harvest. Most of the tomatoes are still out on the vine! It's a bumper crop for us this year!

I celebrate even my smallest gardening successes!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

My gardens are soaked. The lavender in containers have succumbed to root rot. There’s a couple of lavender plants on the hill where the grapes are that look to be suffering as well. I pulled the rest of the shallots because they we’re coming out of the dirt. I also picked a few leeks. I picked some SM tomatoes that were turning orange to avoid them splitting. I also picked all the cherry tomatoes that were close to ripening. I can see ears of corn developing on nearly every corn stalk. We’re expecting nearly 2 inches of rain on Friday then hopefully a dry spell for the following week. I’m seriously considering in investing in poly tunnels for next year.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Well, I have never tried it, but I suspect you could not know if you got out all of the poison ivy roots. I think the only way to know if all the roots are out is if you manually pull them out by gloved hands. But using a mini tiller would probably be better than mowing them down, hitting them with the weed whacker, or pouring boiling water on the leaves. I don't think any of those other methods attack the roots, so the poison ivy would just regrow.

Again, I'm just talking aloud because I have no experience in removing poison ivy. I have been watching YouTube videos on removing poison ivy, and it appears to me that the "best" method is pulling out the plants by their roots.

The house I owned before this one was also a poison ivy farm. Lol! I was working on pulling weeds out and all these roots that were just everywhere not knowing they were poison ivy roots. I got my very first case of poison ivy “rash” in my life. Now I just weed whack them and smother them to move them out of walkways. Anyway. Here’s my paltry garden haul of the day.

 

[Smokerbill]

Artichoke update:

I got creative and cooked my single artichoke. In the crockpot. On the front porch. In a 1cup measuring cup, set on top of a bunch of green and yellow beans and chicken drumsticks. Seemed to work.
Now, to taste it.

 

[dirkandlorie]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned jewel weed for poison ivy yet. Its a natural remedy/weed that grows in the same places as poison ivy. Works great if you immediately rub the jewel weed leaves on the affected area. No rash, no blisters, nothing. Its in the inpatients family, and I grow it in pots here since I have so much pi in my woods. As for keeping it out of my yard, I just grab it and yank the whole vine back to the woodline, with gloves of coarse. I keep a supply of jewel weed leaves in the freezer too, just in case it not growing when I need it.

 

[igorsMistress]

OK, that makes sense. I am assuming hard boiled eggs. Do you add any other spices to the pickle juice for pickling hard boiled eggs? I have some small jars ready for pickled eggs. That sounds really tasty.

No, I just use the juice from our favorite pickles and cover the eggs in a jar. Leave ‘em for week or so. Sometimes less if hubs can’t keep his hands out of them.

 

[igorsMistress]

The kids are 2 preteen sisters @igorsMistress. DD chose them because siblings are more difficult to place together. Most adoptive parents prefer younger children or babies. As for the poison ivy. I’ve been dealing with it for the past 5 1/2 years. I use the weed whacker on it but I wear work boots and jeans while I’m doing it I suspect I got “infected” because it’s been so wet that I roll the cuffs of my pants up when I’m working outside or my the rounds of the gardens to keep the wet grass from soaking my jeans. This is the first time I’ve had the poison ivy rash since I moved in. I thought I had bug bites on my ankles, turned out to be PI. I’m on the mend now. I wash my clothes normally on the ecowarm water setting on my washer. That seems to work fine removing the urushiol oil from my clothing.

That is so awesome Sarah! Big hugs to your DD!