Question: What can I do to control poison ivy?

Answer: Apply a broadleafed weedkiller directly to the actively growing leaves in late spring or early summer. If it is climbing large trees, and if it has developed large stems in the process, merely cut those stems with an axe 10 to 15 inches off the ground. Let the top growth die and fall out of the tree several months later. By then, the oils that are in all parts of the plants and that cause the allergic reaction will have dried and volatilized. For the record, we are all susceptible to poison ivy at some point or another. No one should assume immunity. Wear disposable or washable gloves, long sleeves and long pants. Do not touch any part of the plant or any cutting surface that might have the oil on it.