Poison Ivy Removal Services in Baltimore, MD

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, alleys, fence lines and trees across Baltimore, MD. Baltimore is an independent city, separate from Baltimore County, and its own Health Code shapes this work. It names poison ivy as a noxious weed that owners must keep off their land, and it bars glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, so we dig it out or use products the city allows. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Baltimore, MD?

Poison ivy removal in Baltimore costs anywhere from $320 to $760 on average for a typical residential yard. What moves the price here is access and method. A rowhouse yard reached only through the house or a back alley takes longer to clear and carry out. Hand digging costs more than spraying, and old vines on trees, fences and brick cost more than ground patches. We found no Baltimore company that publishes its rates, so send photos for a firm price.

Which Parts of Baltimore Do You Cover?

All of it. The city maps 279 neighborhoods and we take jobs in every one, including Roland Park, Mount Washington, Hampden, Guilford, Homeland, Lauraville, Hamilton, Canton, Federal Hill, Locust Point, Highlandtown, Dickeyville, Windsor Hills, Ten Hills and Hunting Ridge. Send us the address and we'll confirm a date.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Baltimore?

Along edges, and wherever birds perch and drop seed. Volunteer plant records for the city cluster in Druid Hill Park, Wyman Park, Herring Run Park, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park and around Fort McHenry. Trees shade about 27 percent of Baltimore, so there is plenty of edge. In yards, check fence lines, alley edges, hedges and tree trunks.

Does Baltimore Require Property Owners to Remove Poison Ivy?

Yes, by name. Section 5-703 of the city's Health Code says every person in charge of land must keep it free of poison ivy and other noxious weeds. If the Health Department sends a written notice, the owner has 10 days before Public Works can do the work and put the cost on the property as a lien. Fines run up to $1,000 once a notice is ignored.

Can You Use Roundup on Poison Ivy in Baltimore?

No, not inside the city line. Section 19-303 of the Health Code has barred glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, since July 1, 2022, unless the Health Commissioner authorizes it, with fines of up to $250 a day. We dig poison ivy out or use a different labeled brush killer such as triclopyr, which the code permits for required weed control as we read it. The Health Department can confirm.

When Is the Best Time to Remove Poison Ivy in Baltimore?

Early to mid-summer for spraying. University of Maryland Extension says the vines usually leaf out in May and that herbicide works best during active growth. The season is long downtown, where the Maryland Science Center station goes about 244 days between the last spring freeze, around March 24, and the first fall freeze, around November 21, against 204 at BWI Airport. That leaves room for a follow-up visit the same year.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within a week in season. The rush starts when the leaves come out. One specialist that works across Maryland starts its treatments in April, so contact us early in spring if you want the yard clear before summer.

What Should I Send You for a Quote?

The address, a few photos, the rough size of the patch, and what it is growing on. Tell us how we reach the yard, whether through the house, a side gate or the alley.

Will the Poison Ivy Come Back After You Remove It?

Yes, some regrowth is normal. University of Maryland Extension notes that it resprouts from any root left alive and that birds eat the berries and keep dropping seed. We plan a follow-up visit for new shoots.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Without Chemicals?

Yes, we dig it out by hand, roots and runners included. The city's Health Code lists cutting and removal and digging under as accepted ways to clear poison ivy, right alongside spraying. Hand work takes longer and usually costs more.

Can You Reach a Rowhouse Back Yard Through the Alley?

Yes, that is a normal job here. Only about 1 in 7 Baltimore homes is a detached house, so a lot of back yards are reached through the house or a rear alley. We bag the vines in the yard and carry them out sealed. The alley edge counts too: the Health Code holds the abutting owner to 4 inches of weed growth there.

Will I Need to Be Home During the Work?

No, as long as we can reach the patch. If the only way in is through the house, someone has to let us in and out. Keep children and pets indoors until any spray has dried.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent in Baltimore?

Yes, with your landlord's approval. A little over half of occupied homes in Baltimore are rentals, and the city's property maintenance code puts exterior upkeep, weeds included, on the occupant of a single-unit house. So a violation notice may land on you. Who pays is between you and your landlord.

What Can I Do About Poison Ivy From a Neighbor's Yard or a Vacant House?

We can clear everything on your side of the line, but not theirs. Maryland courts leave owners to self-help when a neighbor's plants cross the boundary, so cutting back your side is on you. About 13 percent of the city's housing units are vacant, and for an overgrown vacant property you can file a 311 report, since the Health Code lets the city order noxious weeds cleared.

Is There Poison Oak or Poison Sumac in Baltimore?

No, not that anyone has recorded. Volunteer plant records for the city show hundreds of poison ivy sightings and none of poison oak or poison sumac. University of Maryland Extension says the oak-shaped leaves people call poison oak are a leaf form of poison ivy.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Baltimore?

Licensed landscapers, lawn-care applicators, tree services and a few poison ivy specialists. One national directory of removal services lists four providers for Maryland, and the state extension service does not recommend companies. Whoever sprays needs a Maryland pesticide business license and has to follow the city's product rules.

Do You Need a License to Spray Poison Ivy in Maryland?

Yes, any business applying pesticides for hire needs a pesticide business license from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, with a certified applicator and liability insurance on file. The department's own example is a landscaper using Roundup. Yard work falls under its Ornamental and Turf category and fence lines under Right-of-Way and Weed. Hand digging uses no pesticide.

How Do I Check a Company's Pesticide License in Maryland?

Ask to see two things. The Maryland Department of Agriculture tells consumers to ask for the firm's current Pesticide Business License and for the technician's state-issued ID card, which carries a photo. The license number must also be on the paperwork you get when anything is applied, and the department's website has a lookup of licensed businesses.

Will You Post a Sign After Spraying?

Yes, Maryland requires it. After a pesticide goes on a lawn or outdoor landscape plants, the company must post a standard sign, and the state asks you to leave it up for 48 hours. You can ask for advance notice, and neighbors on the state's pesticide sensitive list are told before treatments next door.

Can I Put Poison Ivy Out With My Baltimore Trash?

Yes, sealed in plastic bags with your regular trash, which is what University of Maryland Extension advises for pulled vines. Keep it out of the city's leaf pickup, which takes brown paper bags only, is booked through 311, and repurposes the material. On our jobs we haul the vines away.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Baltimore?

No, the city's Health Code bars open burning of waste, and its definition of waste takes in leaves, branches and yard trimmings. It is dangerous anywhere, because the oil rides the smoke and can cause severe breathing problems, as University of Maryland Extension warns. Bag it instead.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Growing Up a Tree in My Yard?

Yes, we cut a section out of the vine near the ground and treat the lower cut so the roots die. The top is left to die on the trunk, because ripping it off tears bark. University of Maryland Extension notes that the vines do not harm the tree itself.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy From the Street Tree in Front of My House?

No, not without a city permit. Article 7 of the City Code says nobody may spray, cut or otherwise treat a tree in a street, lane or alley without a written permit from the Department of Transportation. The city's Forestry Division maintains street trees, so report the vine through 311.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Winter in Baltimore?

Yes, we cut vines and dig roots through winter whenever the ground is workable. January lows at BWI Airport average about 25 degrees and a normal winter brings around 19 inches of snow, so some weeks are lost. Leaf sprays wait for spring. Bare vines still carry the oil, and the extension service says even dead plants can cause a reaction for a couple of years.

Can You Spray Poison Ivy in the Middle of a Baltimore Summer?

Yes, we just choose the day. A normal July at the downtown weather station has highs around 90 degrees and measurable rain on 10 or 11 days, so we treat on dry, calm mornings and move the visit when storms are forecast. The spray has to dry on the leaf to work.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Near the Harbor or a Stream?

Yes, by hand or with a careful spot spray. Land within 1,000 feet of tidal water is in Maryland's Critical Area, and in the 100-foot buffer at the water's edge the state's guidance says poison ivy can be sprayed or pulled by hand but never bush hogged. Cutting other natural vegetation there needs a plan approved by the city. Beside any stream we use a product labeled for use near water.

Who Handles Poison Ivy in a City Park Next to My Yard?

The city does. Recreation and Parks looks after 266 parks and about 4,800 acres, and park land is not ours or yours to treat. Report the spot through 311 so it reaches the department. We can clear your side of the fence and return for whatever creeps back across.

Do You Cover Baltimore County and the Suburbs?

Yes, we take jobs in the towns around the city, including Towson, Catonsville, Dundalk, Parkville, Essex and Glen Burnie. Baltimore is an independent city, so the Health Code rules on this page stop at the city line. Tell us which side of the line the property is on.

Which Baltimore ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

All of them. That includes 21210 in Roland Park, 21209 in Mount Washington, 21211 in Hampden, 21212 in Homeland, 21218 in Guilford and Waverly, 21214 in Lauraville, 21206 in Hamilton, 21207 in Dickeyville, 21216 in Windsor Hills, 21229 in Ten Hills and Irvington, 21224 in Canton and Highlandtown and 21230 in Federal Hill and Locust Point, plus 21215, 21213, 21217, 21225, 21239 and the downtown codes. Give us your ZIP and street.