A study of nine leaves and why herbicides miss the mark....
The target:
The Bullseye:
Pictured above is the actual root system found by following the nine leaves in the first picture.
Where I've been:
Where I'm going:
Poison Ivy a study on whether technology has replaced man power:
- Urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all) is the oil that causes the rash
- There is more urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all) in the roots than on the leaves
- Urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all) is a oil which means water based herbicides essentially roll off the leaves. Another agent must be added to the herbicide to cut through the oil.
- Poison Ivy has very long runners that produce the leaves. Each runner puts down roots enabling the plant to withstand heavy and consistent doses of herbicide by essentially stopping the poison ivy at the runner roots rather than transferring back to the original root system.
- Mechanical devices such as Bush Hogs and rotitellers tear up the root system spreading tiny roots everywhere enabling poison ivy to start fresh ALL OVER
