Poison ivy, the plant that causes many people to break out in an itchyrash, thrives on the edges of wooded areas, in those borderline areas between sunlight and heavy shade. Since the passage of HurricaneFran through the state, there are more of those areas available. Forgardeners, that can present real problems.
Gardening expert Gil Decker says there have been many unusual weedsaround since Fran came.
Poison ivy always has three waxy, jagged leaves on each stem. The rash it causes comes from oil secreted by the plant. Traditionaltreatments can bring some reliefafterthe fact, but now there are other products around that can be used toprevent infection. One of them is called Ivy Block.
Pharmacist Richard Schultz says people who are sensitive to therash-producing plants should use such a product as a precaution.
If you see poison ivy spreading through your yard, be careful how youhandle it. Decker says use gloves and be sure to get the roots out if youpull it up.
Decker says he likes a product called Tech-New, which is a poison oakand ivy cleanser used before the fact. Decker says it's available in areadrug stores.
Photographer:Joe Frieda
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