How to Get Rid of Sumac?

Nearly everyone has heard of poison ivy and many have been afflicted by this irritating plant. Fewer people know about sumac. But this common plant can also cause painful rashes if allowed to thrive. There are a few ways to get rid of sumac, though it is a persistent pest with a strong root system.

Dig It!
For years, people have successfully removed sumac from their property by digging it up, down to the roots. This works fairly well, but you must wear a long sleeve shirt and gloves to avoid contact with the rash-causing plant. But even digging out sumac may not be 100 percent effective. If you leave any part of the roots sumac can come back.

Property owners have also tried strong herbicides that are available from several suppliers. These can kill existing plants. You may feel you have solved your sumac problems but this hardy plant will probably grow back (if not in the same place, somewhere nearby).

What to do
There may be another answer for getting rid of sumac and other pesky plants such as poison ivy and poison oak. Guidelines for this method emphasize that it will probably be necessary to repeat the steps for two or three years to get complete results. In addition to a garden tool to cut the plants and some quality rubber gloves, you will need diesel fuel and some weed killer. With a paintbrush and a mixture of weed killer and diesel fuel in a metal container you will be performing a very simple task.

Many of us understand that cutting a tree branch and painting it can prevent new growth. When getting rid of sumac with this diesel fuel/weed killer method you are doing something similar. Cut the sumac plants within an inch or two of the ground then brush on the liquid mixture – directly on the freshly cut stem.

The fuel/weed killer mixture is fed to the roots of the plants through the cut. As mentioned earlier, you may have to repeat this process for two or three years to get rid of most or all the sumac on your property. Plants will begin to die in a couple of days and should be dead in about 10 days to two weeks. Remember to safely dispose of the gloves, brush and container so no family member or pet is sickened by the mixture.

The cut branches should not be burned, as the smoke and vapors may actually help spread the sumac. Don’t take chances. Bury the cut branches deep in the ground and let them decompose.

If you or someone else does get a rash from handling sumac and trying to get rid of it, use calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching and dry up the rash. If the condition is severe you may have to visit a doctor for a prescription treatment that will clear up the rash and stop the itching quickly. Be careful when working with sumac or any other poisonous plant.

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