Clorox vs Roundup

I absolutely hate to use any herbicides and pesticides. AND my new place is loaded with tiny poison ivy seedlings, just 20 feet off a rushing creek. The large poison ivy vines growing up the tree trunks have been cut near the base and much pulled off. These tiny seedlings are from earlier PI seeds scattered by birds and they are about 2-3" tall.

Someone today told me I could put clorox in a spray bottle for the PI seedlings and it wouldn't be toxic to fish in the creek.

I cannot find anything online. Anyone know?

the bleach shouldn't hurt the fish your not going to put it on heavy enough to run into the stream and the sun will kill it in a very short time now wheather it will kill the poison ivy i don't know it is a hard plant to kill

well darius, if your intention is to sterilize the soil and kill any semblance of all that is natural and good.... yah! go ahead and use clorox.

Best of luck,
dp

Hmmm...why not try a good foliar spray of strong vinegar? And add some dish soap to it. I've used it on some weeds with good results. You'll need to zap them several times though I bet. If you can keep the topgrowth dead eventually the roots will lack the nutrition they need to keep growing.

Well, I have decided that one day next week I will don long gloves and pull those suckers out, roots and all! Most are not more than 3" so it shouldn't be too difficult, and it will ease my mind about using anything harmful to the environment.

Darius: Just yesterday I read 'hate to use herbicides and pesticides' when whadda ya know…the 8test issue of Backyard Living shows up with a note from Betty Smith of Dayton, Ohio, titled:
Ivy Be Gone, pg 5. The recipe she uses is as follows:
1 Gallon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Container Salt
4 Tablespoons Dishwashing Detergent
Spray the mixture on the poison ivy plants every day for a week. She says "It Works!" Can't hurt to try it eh? GL

Everyday for a week? That will have to wait for spring, as I am in the throes of moving for the next 2-3 weeks and it will have succumbed to frost by then.

Thanks, for the recipe. I shall try it in Spring!

The above recipe calls for 'one container of salt' - how much salt is that? I checked the letter in the magazine, and the writer mentions that "all I have to do is wait until the solution naturally washes out of the soil" before she can plant the area. Remember- Sherman salted the fields on his way South, and some fields were barren for years! I'd be very careful with this one.

Good point, sfk.

I'd forgotten that Sherman ordered that "aggravated assault" on the South.