Take care when ridding the garden of poison ivy
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This article previously ran in the July 6, 2004, issue of CAPPER'S.
'Leaves of three, let it be' is a timeless piece of advice for all who venture outdoors, but this guidance is not an option for gardeners who have poison ivy invade their space.
Poison ivy is a plant that, if not for its blistering effects to a person's skin, would be quite interesting in the garden. This plant has outstanding red foliage in the fall. It could be used as a vine, a groundcover or a spreading shrub. It has very few, if any, natural enemies, and the berry provides a food source for the birds we like to attract to our gardens. However, the negatives of this plant far outweigh the positives, from my point of view.
Since the berries of the poison ivy plant are a food source for some of the birds that may visit our gardens, it's no wonder that seedlings of this wild plant often get started among domesticated plants. All gardeners attract birds to their yards, whether consciously or not. We plant shrubs and flowers that provide shelter and food for them, and we supply water by having birdbaths or water gardens in the landscape. Some gardeners even put out feeders to further entice these feathered friends.
If you've had this obnoxious weed in your garden, look around. Chances are that the plant was growing beneath an area that birds have used to roost, such as a power line, a fence rail or a nice open branch over the corner of a perennial bed. I'm not saying to rid the garden of birds or roosting spaces, but these are areas to watch for new seedlings to emerge if you've had a problem with poison ivy in the past.
Getting rid of poison ivy