Clinton County

Create healthy environments indoors and out with research-based information and education from University of Missouri Extension.

Missouri Master Gardeners Website

 

Clinton County Master Gardeners

Regional Newsletter

http://extension.missouri.edu/nwregion/ExtNews/index.htm 

 

 

Questions for the Master Gardener

Sandy Stiefer

Q:  I have poison ivy growing up the trunk of a tree.  How do I get rid of it?

 Very carefully!  As you know, poison ivy can cause a pretty bad rash in people who are sensitive or allergic to the oils it produces.  Here’s what you can do:  put on a pair of gloves a long sleeved shirt.  That will help keep the oil off of your skin and prevent the rash.  However, that’s for people who don't have a severe reaction to it.  For those allergic to it, just stay away from it and let someone else do the job. 

Once you’re properly covered up, pull the vine down from the tree trunk.  If it's very long, you’ll have to cut it so that you have about a foot of vine or less.  But be careful, cutting it will release the rash-causing oil.  Next, pull the vine away from the tree and using a paint brush and full-strength glyphosate (i.e. Roundup), paint the vine, coating the leaves well.  If you have lawn or groundcover under the tree, you can lay a sheet of plastic under the vine before painting.  You may have to do this more than once to kill it off.  Do be sure to read the herbicide label and follow safety precautions. 

Q:  All of a sudden I have violets growing all over my yard and lawn.  I want to get rid of them.  How?

Violets can certainly take hold of a yard.  It can be hard to get rid of them because they not only seed themselves but also grow from underground rhizomes, which spread rapidly.  You can dig them out, but if even a small piece of the rhizome is left the plant will grow back. 

Violets are resistant to herbicides.  You’ll have better luck with killing young plants because they haven’t yet developed extensive rhizomes.  Consult with a knowledgeable nursery person for the correct herbicide to use in your situation, i.e. violets in the lawn.  If they’re growing in the yard where you don’t care if whatever is around them is killed, then you can use a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate.  You might have to spray them several times before gaining control.  Digging them out and then waiting to see if they come back and spraying at that time will probably give you the best control because there won’t be extensive rhizome growth since you’ve removed most of it in the digging. 

Question for the Master Gardener?  We’re here for you!  Clinton County University of Missouri Extension 815-539-3765; email clintonco@missouri.edu; write Master Gardener, Clinton County MU Extension. P.O. Box 294/207 North Main Street, Plattsburg, MO  64477.

 

 

Upcoming Events

To find out all about the Missouri Master Gardeners Program visit there website at:

http://extension.missouri.edu/mg/

Home and Garden Resources for Northwest Missouri

    Horticulture in Season by Specialist Tom Fowler.

Northwest Missouri Extension News You Can Use (Regional Newsletter) Taste of Harvest Newsletter provides Northwest Missourians who produce and preserve food with timely, research-based information so they can ... plant ... pick ... prepare ... preserve ... and eat it right.  Do it right with University of Missouri Extension information! Jump to these articles: Making and Preserving Apple Cider Drinking Cider Safely Making Sauerkraut at Home Cabbage Culture Blackberries and Black Raspberries Berry Delicious When They're Hot They're Hot

Missouri-wide Home and Garden Resources

• MU Extension Lawn and garden section
  Find news, publications, program Web sites, courses and events across the state
   
• Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes How does your house measure up?
• H.O.M.E. Homeownership Made Easier Learn what's needed to buy a home.
• HomeWorks Maintain your housing investment.
• Integrated Pest Management Diagnose and manage garden pests.
• Master Gardeners Share your gardening expertise.
• Garden 'n Grow Summer volunteer gardening program developed for 9 to 13- year-old youths.
• Plant Diagnostic Clinic Diagnosis plant and pest problems.
• Soil and Plant Testing Lab Analyze your soil, plants and fertilizer use.
• MU Division of Plant Sciences
• Kemper Center for Home Gardening, Missouri Botanical Gardens Find answers to your gardening questions 24 hours a day.

Note: Links to commercial websites do not imply endorsement.

Return to the Clinton County main page.
101 South Main, Plattsburg, MO 64477 Phone: 816-539-3765 Fax: 816-539-3766 (call first) Clinton County Extension is a part of the Northwest Region of the University of Missouri Extension
		University of Missouri Extension Clinton County clintonco@missouri.edu Web maintainer, Dale Hunsburger hunsburgerd@missouri.edu 04/23/2009
© 1993 to 2009 Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved. DMCA and other copyright information University of Missouri Extension is an equal opportunity/ADA institution