When I visit a poison ivy patch,
I often dig up some very interesting-looking roots. The way I explain the one pictured below is this: when poison ivy roots
are cut or ripped (you can see the cut in the first photo), the sources of energy that would have normally flown through that
cut spot have now bumped up against a dead end. The energy collects and stores in that location by filling out into a root
tuber. From that tuber (or rhizome), a tap-like root may begin to grow straight down, as a means to survival. You can see,
from the second photo, that we dug this root out of a deep hole and when we measured it, it was nearly two feet in height.
Poison ivy, in its undisturbed state, normally runs in the ground parallel to the earth's surface. Abberant
roots like this one are found to grow vertically, perpendicular to the earth's surface! When we start chasing a root that
goes straight down, we now feel that 8" is an adequate depth for digging that root out. A root that far down usually
looks too skinny to survive at that depth.
A poison ivy root tuber.
(click to enlarge)
Same tuber.
(click
to enlarge)
_________________________
William Bartlett, pictured below, is a Tree Specialist Eradicator. For the largest
vines he uses a come-a-long to bring them down. He will also climb up a tree when he has to. He's tackled to the ground some thick, record-breaking vines. I'm posing with a large base of poison ivy roots that he pulled out for me. He's
been in the business for over 30 years.
(click to enlarge)
William Bartlett, Cindy Campbell and the roots of a tree-climbing
poison ivy vine.
Poison ivy roots dug out ...by "The Gloved Hand."
an organic method -
extracting the root system
Phone:
203-736-0664
Email: WeedPoisonIvy @ TheGlovedHand.com
Poison Ivy eradicated harmlessly
by The Gloved Hand
Hello there. It is 2013 and
I became involved with the poison ivy plant after my husband and I bought a
house in Connecticut in 1988 with poison ivy on the premises. My name is Cindy.
My husband
Robert had previously contracted a particularly severe case of the poison ivy rash which had required medical treatment, so
I proceeded to clear out our new yard by myself. I found that the most comfortable method for me is to remove
the entire root system by hand. The results have been good, too. While under the tutelage of a knowledgeable Yankee farmer
I have learned techniques regarding weather conditions and seasonal changes that make for the most productive weeding. Now
I am able to identify poison ivy in the dormant season when there are no leaves on the plant; I can eradicate poison ivy before
the season even begins.
Since then I began helping my relatives; and next, it was my neighbors calling. My
business officially started for the public in 2009.
Digging in to eradicate poison ivy roots is not a good idea for those with a severe allergy to poison ivy; common
sense is your best ally there. Contrary to what you might think, I am not one
of those rare individuals who is blessed with a natural immunity to the plant. Armed with tenacity however, I have figured
out how to protect myself.
Poison Ivy
SERVICES
1. Eradication
- Eradicating poison ivy by digging the roots out using a double set of gloves, a trowel and also a shovel.
2. Ripping - Ripping out poison ivy, grabbing the vines and pulling as much of
the root out of the ground as possible. This is a quicker method covering more of an area in a shorter period of time. These
areas can be re-visited at a later season or in the next year to look for roots that remained and have begun to send up new
shoots.
3. Tree Specialist - Pulling poison ivy overgrowth off
of trees where climbing vines are at least one inch in diameter or thicker, often requiring tree-climbing apparatus as well
as a winch.
4. Private Training - Train individuals,
on their premises, in the Poison Ivy Eradication and Protection Protocol, a procedure developed by The Gloved Hand for
safety from the ivy's resin while working with the plant. The protocol was created out of necessity and from common sense.
A trainee is brought up to speed with avoiding the invisible culprit in all situations.
5. Business
Training Workshops - Train groups in a fun and interactive way, incorporating
all three learning styles: listening, watching, and doing, using a harmless poison ivy eradication procedure developed by
The Gloved Hand. These procedures are to keep everyone safe from exposure to the ivy’s resin. Workshop training
takes place on premises where there is poison ivy available for those in the workshop to voluntarily try their hand at digging
it out.
6.Talks - An informative and entertaining
presentation, using Powerpoint and music, on the poison ivy eradication procedure that is used for safe handling of the ivy’s
resin. The talk covers clothing options, digging techniques, clean-up, and what to do in case of accidental exposure. There
is time for questions and the sharing of poison ivy stories.
7. Training
for Professionals - A one-to-one professional training to bring back
to your current company, go into the business of poison ivy removal for oneself, or to become a sub-contractor of “The
Gloved Hand.”
PRICES
For Services
1. Eradication - 3 hr
minimum:
(pro-rated by the minute after 3 hrs)
$48/hour, Lead Eradicator
$39/hour, Eradicator
Hauling Fees: $10 per large bag
2. Ripping - 2 hr minimum:
(pro-rated by the minute after
2 hrs)
$54/hour, Senior
Eradicator
$48/hour,
Lead Eradicator
Hauling
Fees: $15 per large bag
3. Tree Specialist - 2 hr minimum:
(pro-rated by the minute after 2 hrs)
$96/hour, Tree
Specialist
Specialist
Hauling Fees: $500/level dump truck or $125/cubic yard for example:
(for example: 2" diameter vine
at 50' in height may cost around $50 in hauling, however, distance to dumping site and other circumstances vary the price
to a great degree sothat accuracy
is lost in estimating.)
4. Private Training
$129 for 1 person
(3 hr Training)
$80
each for 2 or 3 people
(3.5 to 4 hr Training)
$56 each for 4 to 6 people
(4
to 5.5 hr Training)
5. Business TrainingWorkshops
1
person, fee = $141
(3 hr Workshop)
2
people, fee = $93 each
(3.5 hr Workshop)
3 people, fee = $84 each
(4 hr Workshop)
4 people, fee = $75 each
(4.5 hr Workshop)
5 people, fee = $69 each
(5 hr Workshop)
6 people, fee = $63 each
(5.5 hr Workshop)
7 people, fee
= $60 each
(6 hr Workshop)
8 people, fee
= $57 each
(6.5 hr Workshop)
9 people, fee = $54 each
(7 hr Workshop)
6.Talks- are 45 minutes to an hour in length: No fee is charged for the presentation of
a talk except when a travel fee applies, due to the long distance traveled by a presenter.
7. Training for Professionals - No direct fee is charged for a
professional training if once trained, a trainee works for The Gloved Hand for 20 to 30 hours, starting
at a base wage of $18/hr. This obligation can be superseded by paying the regular $141 training fee at any time. A combination
of labor and dollars can also be used to payback for the training.
Note:There is a fee charged for travel back & forth from
our base locations in Connecticut. Below is the pay scale for the round trip travel time to your site (time calculated by
googlemaps). The travel fee is applied to the following services:
#1 (Eradication), #2 (Ripping), and #3 (Private Training).
TRAVEL FEE
Round
Trip –pro-rated by the minute
DRIVER per hour
PASSENGERper hour (carpooling)
Tree Specialist
$45
N/A
Lead
& Sr. Eradicator
$30
$24
Eradicator
$21
$18
For #4 (Public Training Workshops),
#5 (Talks) and #6 (Training for Professionals) there may be a travel fee if
the presenter/trainer has to travel farther than 25 miles.
