Noxious Weed Control
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is a Noxious Weed that can cause an enormous amount of discomfort to people – even putting them in the hospital from a single exposure. The severity of reactions increases with each exposure to this weed. We never recommend individuals try and tackle this problem on their own.
We have the licensing, insurance and knowledge to properly identify and rid you of these dangerous weeds. We work with the City of Ottawa every year to eradicate them on many of their properties.
The first step in dealing with this issue is to properly identify the poison Ivy – there are many look alike plants that are tough to distinguish to the untrained eye. Please get in touch with us by email (sales@greenunlimited.com), or through the client login portal. We encourage you send us a photo of what you think might be poison ivy.
Once we have your information, we will schedule someone to come out to do an onsite assessment and properly identify the Poison Ivy. There is a $75 charge to properly identify the weed on site. This charge will be deducted from the treatment if you choose to have this completed at the time of our identification.
We know having Poison Ivy can be quite concerning, especially if you have young children or pets, and it should be dealt with quickly, safely and effectively.
We carefully treat the Poison Ivy to eliminate the chance of any surrounding plants or vegetation from being affected by this application. We often see it growing in cedar hedges and we treat so that the hedge is not affected.
Please keep in mind that sometimes it can take more than one application to fully kill off the Poison Ivy depending on the situation and where it is situated.
What should you do if you come in contact with Poison Ivy?
According to the Government of Canada’s website, the first thing you should do is to wash any areas of your skin you think may have come into contact with soap and cold water as soon as possible. Doing this will help prevent the infection from spreading elsewhere, but doesn’t prevent the chance of a reaction from the Poison Ivy, such as itching, red inflammation or blisters. For more information on Poison Ivy, please visit the Government of Canada’s website.
Wild Parsnip
Wild Parsnip is a Noxious Weed that, just like Poison Ivy, can cause a large amount of discomfort for anyone who comes in contact with it.
The main symptoms which occur after coming in contact with Wild Parsnip include burn-like blisters, a horrible rash, and even hyperpigmentation when the clear sap gets into the skin. The chemical which causes these issues is photosensitive, so the rash doesn’t occur until after the area has been exposed to ultraviolet light. Some reactions can easily be bad enough to cause the person to go to the emergency room. These symptoms can persist for up to six years.
If you realize you have encountered either of these weeds, here are some things to do immediately:
- If it is a cloudy day and you know you’ve encounter the plant, wash the area properly.
- Call 911 if you experience trouble breathing or swelling.
We use a similar process as with Poison Ivy. We start with an onsite assessment to confirm the weed, then we can do the application same day if the weather permits and if we can get confirmation from you. Also, just like with Poison Ivy, it can take multiple applications to fully kill off the Wild Parsnip.