Re: POISON IVY 101
Posted: Sun 2006-06-11, 13:53:56
Here is a short article I found:
For many Americans, summer means fun in the sun wherever it may be. The kids are out of school, adults are on vacation and it's time for outdoor activities. But, just to make sure summer fun doesn’t turn sour or end prematurely because of the common menace poison ivy, following are a few tips to keep in mind.
Gardening, taking the hike through your back yard, or a day at the beach can become a recipe for misery when it comes to a plant called poison ivy. While "leaves of three leave it be," is the old saying, "leaflets of three leave it be" is even better because each leaf has three smaller leaflets. Beware of them at the edge of fields, forests, parking lots, roads, and in huge lush stands at beaches.
Unwashed clothes (especially shoes and laces), sporting or gardening equipment, pets, or anything that comes in contact with the plant can carry active sap for months! The sap is so potent, it can be passed from object to object a dozen times just by light contact, and the last object can still cause an intense rash. Wash everything especially if there is the slightest chance that it has come into contact with poison ivy.
For many Americans, summer means fun in the sun wherever it may be. The kids are out of school, adults are on vacation and it's time for outdoor activities. But, just to make sure summer fun doesn’t turn sour or end prematurely because of the common menace poison ivy, following are a few tips to keep in mind.
Gardening, taking the hike through your back yard, or a day at the beach can become a recipe for misery when it comes to a plant called poison ivy. While "leaves of three leave it be," is the old saying, "leaflets of three leave it be" is even better because each leaf has three smaller leaflets. Beware of them at the edge of fields, forests, parking lots, roads, and in huge lush stands at beaches.
Unwashed clothes (especially shoes and laces), sporting or gardening equipment, pets, or anything that comes in contact with the plant can carry active sap for months! The sap is so potent, it can be passed from object to object a dozen times just by light contact, and the last object can still cause an intense rash. Wash everything especially if there is the slightest chance that it has come into contact with poison ivy.