When you have poison oak growing near your house, your thoughts turn to poison oak removal. Unfortunately, getting rid of poison oak is not an easy matter. The plant is an American native beloved by birds. They eat the berries then spread the seeds far and wide. Complete eradication is impossible, so you’ll have to consider your poison oak control options.
What Does Poison Oak Look Like?
In order to start poison oak removal, you have to be able to identify the plant. Given the pain it causes humans, you might imagine that it is lethal-looking, but it’s not. It is green and lush, growing a either a shrub or a vine. Poison oak leaves are solid, with a little of the scalloped oak shape. They hang from the stems in groups of three. If you are wondering about poison oak vs. poison ivy, the latter’s leaves also hang in groups of three and cause the same stinging itch on contact. However, poison ivy’s leaf edges are smooth and slightly pointed, not scalloped. Both plants are deciduous and their looks change with the seasons. Both turn yellow or other fall colors in autumn, lose their leaves in winter and develop small flowers in spring.
How to Get Rid of Poison Oak
If you want to learn how to get rid of poison oak, first realize that total poison oak removal is not possible. Gardeners with a large poison oak “crop” cannot count on simply getting rid of poison oak plants. First, it is difficult to remove the standing poison oak, given your skin’s reaction to it. Secondly, even as you chop the plants down with a hoe or pull them up by hand, birds are sowing more seeds for next year. Instead, consider poison oak control options. You can mechanically remove enough poison oak to be able to walk in and out of your house safely. Use a hoe or a mower for best results. If you are using mechanical means, or pulling up the plants by hand, wear thick protective clothing, footwear and gloves to protect your skin. Never burn poison oak since the fumes can be lethal. Other poison oak control options include inviting goats into your backyard. Goats love to snack on poison oak leaves, but you’ll need a lot of goats for a big crop. You can also use herbicides to kill the plants. Glyphosate is one of the most effective. Apply it after the fruit has formed but before the leaves have changed color. Remember, however, that gyphosate is a nonselective compound and it will kill all plants, not just poison oak. Note: Any recommendations pertaining to the use of chemicals are for informational purposes only. Specific brand names or commercial products or services do not imply endorsement. Chemical control should only be used as a last resort, as organic approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.
