To start your trails, I would get a good supply of wood chips, and lay them down thick about five feet wide as you clear the ground. At least start with clear wide trails so you can walk without going through any poison ivy.
You're really going to need to get a handle on it before renting out. I can't imagine how mad some might be to go there and get a case of PI, many people are clueless.
Focus first on areas close to the house, driveway etc. May be overwhelmed if you tackle too much area at once.
Oh, the PI will love the sunlight and the edges of the woods. I don't see it so much in thick woods, but often on trailsides just as you leave a parking area or other open space.
It is a great looking place, but the PI.. horror! I've had some bad cases myself as a kid.

Do NOT use a weed trimmer on poison ivy. No only is it ineffective, it spreads the oil everywhere, not to mention bits of leaves and stems. For this infestation I think your only solution is brush killer . Painting the leave will take the next hundred years. With a good sprayer you can control the stream to some extent. I've killed PI within English ivy and vinca minor with little spill-over. If any returns next year, pull it by hand by first putting your dominant hand in a plastic shopping bag, pull a few plants gently, then turn the bag inside out over the plant and dispose of it. Don't burn it or recycle it.

Totally taking ALL of this into account!! I can attest to vlwalters assessment. Never a good idea to use a trimmer with poison ivy. However, I wasn't looking at a poison ivy patch and salivating over using the weed whacker. The thicket of weeds over the entirety of the property contains seemingly an infinite variety of nasties, from small to large/tall/gargantuan. The PI just became part of the soup. And I was floating in the soup for sure and boy have I learned a few things.

I may invest graveling some pathways and/or build boardwalks/walkways with a gravel border. yes, renters will be pisssssssed if they unwittingly cover themselves in oil. But they won't step foot until April of next year so I have time to make preparations and create safe havens.

in the meantime - hazmats or full battle gear armor are in my future. And, I'm going to have fun ridding PI from near the house with some surgical strikes. I'll look into the English Ivy and Vinca Minor for sure!

My continued appreciation

keng223 said:I'll look into the English Ivy and Vinca Minor for sure!

Please don't plant those invasives!

If you think poison ivy is a problem... you ain't seen problems until you try to kill english ivy or vinca...

There should be a absolute ton of beautiful plants already growing there... the trick is to identify what you have BEFORE cutting everything down!

Now that you've cut it all back... you still need to learn what plants you have... when they start growing back.... post pictures of individual plants... and we can tell you the names of each...

The thicket of weeds over the entirety of the property contains seemingly an infinite variety of nasties, from small to large/tall/gargantuan.

This was your problem... failing to bring in someone that could disabuse you of above terminology.

where you are... I would expect to see lady slipper orchids...

and... an absolute ton of other desirable plants.

Desirable plants are your friends many ways but not the least being that removing them usually give you MORE undesirables.

FYI There literally is no chance "more undesirables" will grow back. This place was the Amazon before I got to it. It was so thick and so dense -and in places towering over my head. I wanted to see what was there underneath it all. What did I actually own? The pictures that you see we're taken after two separate trimmings. The first time took forever. I have no doubt the jungle will reclaim itself in no time if left alone. At least now I'll be able to pick and choose where the pathways can and should go.

Good luck! I hope you got it cheap. Trying to keep it rented is going to be tough.

I feel for you. I'm in a fight with this stuff out back and I just got over having it in my eyes. My being nice days are soon to end and I may torch it with diesel fuel. (Not really but it can drive you nuts)

I have a friend that is so allergic if she is near without touching she breaks out with a rash. My business is rental. Before you rent get a good lease. People do not listen but are very quick to blame you and sue. Get signs up of where they are to stay out even friends. If people get sick enough the friend might not sue you but their family might. Protect yourself legally. People can be worst than poison ivy.

I keep boxes of rubber gloves like they have in the hospital that go on my hands first. Then I buy bags of painter gloves to go over the plastic gloves. I keep a bucket outside to throw the painters gloves in. I pour dawn over them and pour hot water on them. If I am going to be working for a few weeks I just keep throwing the used gloves in the bucket. Throw away the rubber gloves. Get those high rubber fishing boots. I wipe them down with alcohol then wash them with soap.

Good time to work on it is the Fall it turns red and stands out like a red beacon. I had 4 acres and the property had been vacant for yrs. It took me two yrs now it only takes me a few hours in spring to pull a couple sneaky ones that try to come back.

I feel your vision is 'open and lawn-like' around the house. For future users and for you being able to work. Let's get back to the original question. Throw down grass seed everywhere you can mow. Regular mowing or whacking will be needed to keep grass. But it will not effectively block the PI. Mow as you wish, with full protection. Short term, I see no other option.

Last time I rented a cabin, it was in PA, and there were mature trees all around, and no grass. And little underbrush because of the mature trees.

This is a 'hot topic' because of the PI, and involves question of native plants.

Amazon.. lol.. well, as you said, it IS a temperate rain forest. We went to Smoky Mtns once and as I read up, learned the species diversity is incredible there.

I think someone made a mistake when they cleared all that out years ago at your place. The more the ground is open to the sun, the more things will grow from the ground up to fill it. The area was "disturbed" and now wants to start its evolution back to a forest and will fight you for it. The woods only become more open at the ground when tree branches cover an area and deny it light.
I'd really encourage you to post pictures of individual type plants you are finding. We can help ID. .. maybe you can eventually have little plant ID signs along your trails, like a park or garden, educate people.

Rock, gravel as ground cover do sink and have to be replaced to maintain. No idea on cost. Heavier to move than wood mulch. Gravel will not block weeds any better than wood mulch.

As you lay pathways, think about placing trees, redbud would be a nice native spring bloomer.

I would really like to see how the project evolves.

sallyg said:
Last time I rented a cabin, it was in PA, and there were mature trees all around, and no grass. And little underbrush because of the mature trees.

This is a 'hot topic' because of the PI, and involves question of native plants.

it IS a temperate rain forest. We went to Smoky Mtns once and as I read up, learned the species diversity is incredible there.

The more the ground is open to the sun, the more things will grow from the ground up to fill it.

The area was "disturbed" and now wants to start its evolution back to a forest and will fight you for it. The woods only become more open at the ground when tree branches cover an area and deny it light.

I'd really encourage you to post pictures of individual type plants you are finding. We can help ID. .. maybe you can eventually have little plant ID signs along your trails, like a park or garden, educate people.

I was lucky enough to garden for a year+ near Pigeon Forge (Dollywood).
Gorgeous!

Also used to camp in the mountains above Asheville...

You pretty much have got to enjoy rain... But I'll tell you what...

There's no jobs for gardeners up there...
Everybody has a vegetable garden... It's that easy!

Down here... not easy.

Get rid of the Poison Ivy with brush killer dedicated to it.
I have never had it but when landscaping a gent we were working for wanted me to weed whack the PI; I said NO.

I had weed whacked some Yellow Sweet Clover Melilotus officinalis and after picking chunks out of my legs found out I was very allergic to it.
I went through misery bordering on hell at timea to recover and it came back EVERY year for over a decade at reduced levels and probably was the main reason my allergies for the past twenty years, I have other, have turned into misery at times.
Before that they were a minor annoyance at best.

IF any one allergic to it gets into it, you had better be able to afford a very good lawyer because you will need it.

sallyg said:
I would really like to see how the project evolves.

I am reading every post here with passion. And, Sally, I love your enthusiasm and I will gladly take photos of my progress. There are so many beautiful species in the mix. But they're literally everywhere you look. I am not overly concerned about removing some from a patch of ground if it yields the results I want.

Phish49 - I hope you saw Between Me and My Mind last night. wow. amazing.

Here's my latest thought: pressure washing a natural weed-killing mixture near and around the house a few times -at least thru the summer. Then in the Fall seeding with grass those areas. Maybe the vinegar and salt won't be very friendly for new grass seeds, but I would guess after a few heavy rains the ground should be somewhat safe. Ground is too uneven to consider mowing, but trimming with weed whacker isn't very hard. And yes, I'm hoping as you stated, Sally, after a few years i'll have my main areas free from PI, and I'll know how to identify the new ones and pluck accordingly.

And for all those who are warning about lawsuits - really? is someone going to REALLY sue over poison ivy? NOBODY comes to the WNC wooded environment without reasonably understanding the inherent risk. You rent in the forest, you are at risk. Period. If you ask me, it sounds like a case dismissal. But glad the point has been raised. So thank you. Always good to raise the issues.

Unless you, at minimum, put up a large warning that your area is infested with Poison Ivy and you are not responsible for some one becoming infected, if some one gets a bad expensive reaction, they will get a lawyer to hit you with health payments.
I worked in landscaping and people will sue at the drop of a pin, simple fact.

About 85 percent of the population is allergic to poison ivy, poison sumac or poison oak, and aboutpi[ 10 to 15 percent are extremely allergic.[/i] This is the most common allergic reaction in the U.S., and affects as many as 50 million Americans each year.
Urushiol causes redness and swelling followed by blisters and severe itching. The rash takes about two weeks to heal, provided infection with bacteria does not occur.

You may do as you wish but as I found out the hard way, the not-gonna-happen , does happen.

Thanks and I'll look into it. And really - unless someone has been sued because of this, let's just end THAT "branch," so to speak, to die. I don't want to create a tangent that dominates here. Reasoning? What on earth would be the damages sought? Pain and suffering? A court will throw that right out. You walk in the woods or thru the weeds off trail, any reasonable person under the circumstances you assume the risk. Unless they EAT it or cut down trees burn and inhale the smoke and die, the worst they'll suffer is what we all know - a horrible few days and a couple more weeks of discomfort. And sure, it'll suck. It DOES suck. But a lawsuit? This is beautiful western north carolina, not the Met.

Anyway, this is the last of my worries. I really care more that they don't get it b/c I'm a good human being and will do what I can to rid as much as I can and warn them of the dangers.

I'd rather discuss how to identify and get rid of it. My timescale is long. If i can be essentially free of it in the places I'd like to hang out in just five years? that's a win.

Natural weed killer? The mixture you mentioned will kill grass too. You are much better off using a broad leaf herbicide like 2,4-d without extra ingredients added for residual action, so that you don't compromise the soil for future planting.

I agree! Salt and vinegar are for salads. That combo will ruin the soil for a looong time.

Ok. Truly a beginner. I'll pass on the salt and vinegar

O my goodness! Some advice here is good, some very misguided. Killing all vegetation with herbicides will require a very large investment in new plants to completely cover the ground and stand up to future regrowth and incursions.

Right away...get Technu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub and use according to directions after every eradication session. You can quell itching by running the hottest water you can stand over the rash and apply Benadryl gel. Take Benadryl oral before going to bed and swear to mend your ways.

Completely cover up yourself and pull plants in the wet Spring when you can get more roots. Bag and send to landfill or find a deep burial ground in a remote corner. Learn what plants are native and plant, transplant and propagate those. These are your best defense. I agree with wide wood chip paths and time and patience to work your way through this. There is no easy fix. You can learn a lot and enjoy your woodland along the way.

When washing arms, hands, legs and feet after exposure to PI, use Dawn dish detergent. It is a surfactant, which means it will lift and carry away the oil deposited by the poison ivy. I'm extremely allergic and on the rare occasions that I've been exposed, it worked like a charm. No rash.