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REALLY HOT WATER BEST TREATMENT FOR POISON IVY.
I've got poison ivy. Again.
I think this is my sixth or seventh case of poison ivy since moving to my present home site - I've lost count.
My first case was the most severe. My wrists and forearms looked like boiled rhubarb for a week. That episode began with a day of brush clearing to prepare the site of a mound septic system. Not having reacted to the disease before, I didn't pay much heed to poison ivy amongst the hundreds of small trees that had to be cut and hauled away. The exposed skin between my tee-shirt sleeves and gloves really took a hit.
Since then, I've avoided the thickest stands of poison ivy in the areas that aren't being converted to gardens, and sprayed with Roundup other areas situated where I want to grow flowers, lawns and other plants.
My current outbreak is only on my hands, and it's a humdinger. A couple of weeks ago, I planted dozens of perennial plants in a shady garden-to-be beneath a giant basswood tree. Previously, this space was a tangle of honey locust, gray dogwood, plum and poison ivy. I removed everything above ground but obviously didn't respect the poisonous roots in the soil.
Late in April, this space looked pretty harmless. None of the previous woody plants and weeds had sent forth their tender new spring shoots and the soil looked so inviting.
As I dug holes for each precious bare-root perennial that had just been delivered by UPS, I snipped away at the maze of crossing roots and pulled them out with my hands. Not a smart move. The deadly poison ivy oil accumulated on my hands, and a potent dose must have lodged underneath my wedding ring because that finger currently looks like uncooked meatloaf (I washed my hands in the days ahead, but never scrubbed the ring!).
Everybody reacts differently to poison ivy. My son helped me clear brush that earlier time and never had a problem. My dad once burned a brush pile and inhaled the smoke from burnt poison ivy and paid a stiff price by getting poison ivy in his throat and lungs.
The poison found in poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is urushiol (actually four poisons that differ in minor chemical ways). A Minnesota Extension Service booklet, "Pesky Plants," says that we are initially immune to poison ivy but our sensitivity increases over time from repeated exposures.
Non-prescription hydrocortisone creams or lotions may reduce irritation but I have found the best treatment is running the affected area under hot water for as long as I can stand the heat. The feeling of hot water pouring over the blisters is one of the most soothing feelings I have ever experienced and it relieves the itch for several hours.
Now, what kind of darn-fool gardener, you might ask, would dig in dirt containing poison ivy roots without wearing gloves? Me for one, I guess. While gloves may work for you, they get in my way. It's hard to separate tender roots of bare-root perennials with the thick, non-feeling fabric of gloves. And what about the future use of those gloves? Would you wear a pair of gloves again if you knew they were smeared with the pernicious oil of poison ivy?
So, it seems to me, I've got two choices.
I can quit going outside, and avoid poison ivy for the rest of my life.
Or I can continue gardening and expect to encounter the red, itchy blisters from time to time, which will provide interesting fodder for some future column.
Besides, it feels so good to run my blisters under really hot water.
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PUTTING DOWN ROOTS:
A Delightful Blend of
Gardening Wisdom, Wit
and Whimsy
$10 + $2 for shipping
by Cliff Johnson |
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