We understand how much effort you have to put in to establish a healthy, refreshing, lively garden in your home where your pets and kids could play safely. But what if that garden ends up with dense bushes of poisonous weed that could not only harm on being engulfed but also sensitive to touch? Yes, we are talking about the poison ivy plant.
This weed grows right in the days of spring and early summer when all the plants grow but no plant can match its immense rate of growth. Just wait for a few days, and the three-leaf seedling will cover all of your landscape.
The worst part is that there’s not any remedy to stop it from growing as its seeds could be landed into your lands by wind or a flying bird. Asking for even more trouble? Then, note down that you cannot just remove it by brushing it out manually for some reason.
Firstly, its roots are spread deep down into the soil and on brushing out, the entire plant will regrow if even a single root hair remains under the soil. Secondly, the leaves, roots, and stem of this plant secrete an extremely harmful oil that on being touched can react with your skin absurdly.
If you are sensitive to allergens, then you will develop a huge rash spot right within 12-48 hours. And after a couple of days, your whole body would get itchy and filled with bristles. Likewise, if this oil gets in contact with your pet’s fur or even your kid’s clothes, you have to pay a huge price to deal with the consequences.
The only remedy to eradicate this evil poison ivy plant is to get the best poison ivy killer that burns the whole bush from inside out. However, it should also be safe for the environment and humans along with being efficient.
In the wide saturation of related products, finding such a brilliant poison ivy killer is a daunting task. So, we had assigned this task to our herbicide experts and they drew a complete list of best performing and high-end products given below.
Table of Contents
Best Poison Ivy Killer 2022 Comparison Table
Best poison ivy killer
1. Roundup Weed Killer
What would be better than starting our review list with a product having the credit of being Amazon’s choice? However, the main reason for this product being at topmost ranking is not its credit but the alluring, unmatchable characteristics.
The standout feature of this product is its ready-to-use nature where you don’t have to dilute the chemical with water or any other solution. Just direct the nozzle toward the pest and pull the trigger to kill your garden’s wrecker in one shot.
For more convenience, the company has also added a sprayer along with the canister so you don’t have to wait for anything to start this clean-sweep mission. Plus, the extension wand also makes it hassle-free to reach targets without falling into awkward situations.
The thing which caught our attention at the first sight is the brand’s slogan which states that this solution can burn the entire plant till the last root hair. So, all the chances of its regrowth get diminished, at least for one season.
You don’t need to trace the entire weather forecast to schedule your ivy killing operation while having roundup herbicide on your side.
It gets rainproof only in thirty minutes which means the products get absorbed into the targeted plants just in a fraction of minutes. That’s the very reason why it shows results just in a single day.
- Super strong formula
- Penetrate to the waxy leaves
- Burn the weed to the roots
- Shows results in 24 hours
- Rainproof in thirty minutes
- Ready to use
- Ready to use
- May harm healthy plants
Besides poison ivy, we also checked its effectiveness on other weed plants like wild blackberries, poison oak, kudzu, etc. and it was perfectly fine towards them as well. Most importantly, the product comes with a money-back guarantee which means you will get a complete refund if this strong formula won’t work out.
Check Latest Price on Amazon2. The Scotts Ortho Max Poison Ivy Tough Brush Killer
If you are searching for a multipurpose herbicide that can not only show outstanding outcomes by killing poison ivy but also deal with woody weeds, this product is the one you should consider.
The formula of this herbicide is mainly formed to brush out the tough weeds including the stumps, intermingling, heavy vines, and sixty other pest plants.
To eradicate the weeds from deep down the roots, it comes as a ready-to-use concentrate that you can directly apply using a hose-end sprayer. However, if you want to use it on average weed plants, you can dilute it by mixing it with water.
However, it could seriously damage the good plants and grass patches so you better cover them up or transfer the potted plants somewhere else before starting the application.
Not only the plants, but you also have to stay extremely cautious while using this herbicide to prevent skin burns or rashes. Don’t forget to wear gloves or cover all the unexposed body parts while spraying your garden with this weed killer.
The solution takes a few hours to get absorbed by the plants after which it disrupts the plant’s metabolism to die it off. However, to see the results properly, you need to have some patience as it took us a few days to notice weed wilting.
- Concentrated to kill even woody weeds
- Kills a broad range of weeds
- Can be diluted to use extensively
- Ready to use
- Rainproof in a few hours
- Over-priced
All in all, this Ortho Max ivy killer is a slow-working but effective product. It is recommended to check the weather forecast before applying this herbicide to targeted plants so it doesn’t get washed out by rain.
Check Latest Price on Amazon3. Bonide (BND506) – Poison Oak and Ivy Killer
This product comes in a spray bottle and is ready to use form. The company claims that this product is effective towards a broad range of plant pests along with poison ivy, including poison oak, dandelions, stinging nettle, and many others.
The best thing about this herbicide is its unique composition which leads to the permanent removal of poison ivy from your landscape. Some of our friends have even told us that after using this amazing solution, they didn’t see any weed shoot in their yard for at least two to three successive years.
The reason behind this most desired burnout of weed shoots is the presence of time in the formula. This compound is known as a vigorous herbicide that not only absorbs swiftly into the leaf but also destroys the weed to the last root hair.
The sprayer is quite handy and you don’t need to apply too much pressure to spray the solution over intended plants. In front of the jet, an adjustable nozzle is attached which, on rotating, switches your precision sprayer to a mister.
Thus, if you are targeting only a limited but hard weed bush, you better set the nozzle of precision sprayer mode to direct the herbicide only towards the target. Whereas, if the weeds have anchored all the landscape, set the nozzle to mist mode.
In this way, you can cover the maximum region using the minimum quantity of herbicides. Still, one bottle is not sufficient to cover a broad area and you need to get some others as well.
What I’ve found most amazing is the color-changing features of this Bonide ivy killer due to which, the solution turns its color into red once applied so you can recognize the area of application more clearly.
Let it stay over the weed leaves for some hours and the herbicide would get rainproof completely. Most importantly, this product is quite safer than other poison ivy killers as it didn’t burn my garden’s grass.
- Safe towards healthy plants
- Gets red on the application
- Ready to use
- 100% effective
- Adjustable nozzle
- Budget-friendly
- Slow-acting herbicide
- Small bottle
I didn’t see any considerable improvement regarding weed kill for two weeks but right after that time, the weed started to die off and there was not any weed in my yard on the fourth week. All in all, It’s a slow-acting but effective herbicide that won’t make big holes in your wallet.
Check Latest Price on Amazon4. Ortho GroundClear Ivy & Tough Brush Killer
This product also comes in a ready-to-use form and comprises a strong formulation. However, some features make it stand apart from the crowd such as its battery-operated comfort wand that is attached to a sprayer.
You just need to point it towards your weed and a continuous stream of herbicide will float out of the bottle without the need of applying pressures. The company claims that this solution is potent and effective enough to wash out about sixty different types of weeds permanently from the roots.
We applied this product to a completely messed up landscape, to check that claim and this product amazed us just in twenty-four hours. The shoot turned brown and started wilting which is a big achievement for sure.
It takes about one to two hours to get rainproof but once this herbicide gets dried completely, it marks your region as safe to be used by kids and pets. Another impressive thing about this product is that it doesn’t harm your healthy plants in any way.
- Strong formulation
- Fast-acting and versatile
- Rainproof in thirty minutes
- Ready to use
- Battery-powered wand
- Safe towards healthy plants
- Sprayer may make noises sometimes
The only problem is that you cannot take the contents of the bottle out in any possible way if the sprayer got malfunctioned, which rarely happens. Overall, this Ortho ground clear ivy killer is worth considering if you are looking for a safe, easy-to-use, and versatile product to get rid of poison ivy and other weeds.
Check Latest Price on Amazon5. Roundup Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer
If you want to get rid of poison ivy and other tough weeds as soon as possible, then you won’t find any other herbicide more fast-acting and fabulous than this Roundup brush killer. The product comes in a spray bottle with a smooth and adjustable nozzle to turn it into a sprayer or mister anytime.
This 24-ounce spray bottle comes with a concentrate that doesn’t need to be diluted or pre-mixed. With a single bottle, you can cover an area of about 1000 square feet. Don’t think that this product is overpriced since, like other commercially available herbicides, it doesn’t need repeated applications to kill the weed off.
It comprises glyphosate as a major ingredient that can get absorbed into the waxy leaves quickly and start disturbing the chemical metabolism of the weed plants right on time. Thus, in this way, spraying it only on the leaves will be enough. But if you still want quicker outcomes, spray it over the roots as well.
Just spray the solution once and you’ll observe even the adult ivy wilting just in a single day. And just in seven days, you’ll get a completely safe and weed-free yard. Just after thirty minutes of application, this herbicide gets resistant to being washed out or rain which is also a plus point.
- Fast-acting
- Rainproof in 30 minutes
- Spray bottle with adjustable nozzle
- Shows results in 24 hours
- Kill off the adult weeds in a week
- Burn a broad range of weeds
- Might harm the healthy plants
Not only the poison ivy, but it is also equally beneficial to brush off other annoying poisonous weeds like poison sumac, poison oak, wild blackberry, and other invasive shrubs. However, as it is a concentrate, you need to be cautious enough to not spray it over healthy grass and plants since it can even burn them off in a single day.
Check Latest Price on Amazon6. BIOADVANCED 704640B 704640 Brush Killer
This concentrated herbicide is found to be effective on almost seventy different types of tough and extremely poisonous weed plants including kudzu, poison oak, and of course, poison ivy.
Its working mechanism is also the same as that of other high-end products. It penetrates the leaves of plants and travels deep down to the root to destroy them completely.
Depending upon the type and strength of weed, it shows results in one to four weeks after application. In our trial of this product, we’ve observed this product to kill off the huge invasive vines only in a single week completely.
However, if you spray the herbicide daily, the results could come out even more quickly. Similarly, you can use it in diluted or concentrated form based on your needs and budget.
One bottle of this herbicide is enough to wash out the adult weed from an area of about four thousand square feet. Before starting the application, it’s better to cover all the other plants with layers of plastic sheets or cardboard as it can damage them severely.
- Concentrated and fast-acting
- Kills seventy different weed plants
- Burn even the toughest stumps
- Takes a few hours to rainproof
- Harm healthy plants
After applying thoroughly, let it stay away from the water for at least 24 hours so it won’t get wasted by washing out. Either you are going to spray it by adding it to your sprayer hose or apply it over stumps using a paintbrush, we suggest disposing of the tool after application to avoid contamination. Plus, don’t forget to wear protective gear.
Check Latest Price on Amazon7. Southern Ag Crossbow Specialty Herbicide
This crossbow specialty herbicide is the best choice For all those looking for a harsher herbicide to be used in commercial landscapes. The reason why we called it the best poison ivy killer for commercial lands is that it comes in a highly concentrated form that can be extended to several gallons in quantity by diluting with water.
However, since the manufacturer is providing a huge amount of product at such an affordable price range, you have to make a short compromise regarding the efficiency. Don’t mix up the efficiency with efficacy since the product shows results but after several weeks of repeated applications.
Since it’s a slow-acting herbicide, you should not expect to get a pest-free garden overnight. However, one application will certainly make you see the obvious results like yellowing and wilting of the toxic poison ivy shoots.
You can add it to a sprayer and coat all the intended area simply. If being used in original concentrated form to take out lighter weeds, you will see the result in a couple of hours. Credit goes to the strong herbicidal ingredients like 2,4-D, Garlon, etc. though that can even deal with tough brushes and trees.
Remember that this product could not distinguish between healthy and unwanted plants so you need to stay extremely cautious during application.
- Heavily concentrated
- Can be extended by diluting
- Take out the bushes and trees
- Best for commercial landscape
- 100% effective
- Not recommended for residential use
It’s also worth mentioning here that you need to get expert assistance to apply it all across your weed pastures. Otherwise, a little mishandling or over spraying could contaminate the soil permanently. Due to this reason, our experts strictly prohibit the use of this product in home gardens.
Check Latest Price on AmazonBuying guide
All the commercially available poison ivy killers are designed to eradicate this annoying weed out of your range, so what are the things which differentiate the best poison ivy killer from the flop ones?
In this section, we will discuss some factors which actually make the difference and you should also look out for them while buying your herbicide to get the best value for your money.
The very first choice that you need to make is either to get a concentrated or a pre-mixed herbicide? The concentrated form is the one having an extremely strong formulation and that needs to be diluted before applying.
Since their products come in a not-ready-to-use form, they cost less than their counterparts. On being diluted, you can extend their volume to several gallons and cover thousands of square feet.
On the other hand, the pre-mixed herbicides are the ones having the most precise formulation and don’t need to mix or dilate further. Some of them also come in a sprayer bottle so you can readily use them right after purchase.
However, they can also violate your budget a bit. Since they can’t be further diluted, they are best to be used for limited infestation. Plus, you cannot alter the potency by changing the concentration.
Remember, that the best product is the one that not only shows results quickly but also gets rainproof in just a few hours. Plus, it should not only burn the weed plants from above the ground but also take them out of your land permanently by destroying the entire root system.
Thus, go with the special products that mentioned their effectiveness regarding poison ivy and also claims to act on the roots. Also, try to avoid those herbicides that need tens of applications to get desired results.
FAQs?
Conclusion
All the products listed in this article are thoroughly reviewed by our team of experts and possess a good rating on Amazon. However, the top-three poison ivy killer that is the winner of this debate is
Roundup Weed Killer due to its fast-acting formulation, extremely potent composition, and ready-to-use nature
The Scotts Ortho Max Poison Ivy Tough Brush Killer is due to its broad range efficacy and ability to kill even the toughest woody weeds.
Bonide (BND506) – Poison Oak and Ivy Killer due to unique color-changing application and being safe towards healthy plants.
Remember that the problem of poison ivy is serious and needs a quick solution to get rid of it. Otherwise, the consequences would not only lower the worth of your landscape but also harm your health.