Poison Ivy Removal Services in Boston, MA

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, fence lines, stone walls and trees in Boston, MA and the rest of Suffolk County. Only about 12 percent of Boston's homes are detached houses, so much of the work here is along shared fences, behind multi-family buildings and where a lot backs onto a park or wooded edge. We serve homes, rentals and commercial properties. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Boston, MA?

Poison ivy removal in Boston costs anywhere from $350 to $810 on average for a typical residential yard. What moves the price here is mostly labor time. Vines up a tree, through a shared fence or across a stone wall take far longer than a patch on open ground, and hand digging costs more than spraying. Tight access to a rear yard, travel time, hauling the debris and the follow-up visit also count. Send us photos for a price.

Do You Remove Poison Ivy From Homes, Rentals, and Commercial Properties in Boston?

Yes, we work on single-family lots, two- and three-family houses, apartment and condo grounds, and commercial property. Nearly half of Boston's housing units are in buildings with five or more units, so tell us who owns the land and who can approve the work.

Which Boston Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

All of them, from Charlestown and East Boston down to Hyde Park. Expect the most poison ivy where city 311 reports and naturalist sightings pile up: West Roxbury, Roslindale, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Dorchester, Roxbury and Brighton. We also work in Allston, Mission Hill, South Boston, the South End, Back Bay and Beacon Hill.

Which Boston ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

Every Boston ZIP code, including 02132 in West Roxbury, 02131 in Roslindale, 02136 in Hyde Park, 02130 in Jamaica Plain, 02126 in Mattapan, 02124 and 02122 in Dorchester, 02119 in Roxbury and 02135 in Brighton. We also cover 02134 in Allston, 02127 in South Boston, 02128 in East Boston, 02129 in Charlestown and the downtown ZIP codes.

Do You Cover Brookline, Newton, Milton, and Other Towns Next to Boston?

Yes, in most cases. Boston is bordered by Brookline, Newton, Dedham, Milton and Quincy to the west and south, and by Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, Chelsea, Everett, Revere and Winthrop on the other sides. Send us the address and we'll confirm we cover it.

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

Late June through early September for spraying. That is the window UMass Extension gives for New England, because herbicide works best once the leaves are fully out and the plant is growing. Hand digging and cutting vines off trees can be done outside that window.

How Soon Can You Come Out, and When Does the Season Start?

Usually within a week or so once the season is on. At Logan Airport the last spring freeze falls around April 4 in a typical year, and the new reddish leaves come after that. Spring and early summer fill up first, so contact us early.

What Do You Need From Me for an Estimate?

The address, a few photos, and where the poison ivy is growing: lawn, fence, wall, shrub bed or tree. Tell us whose fence it is and how we reach the back yard.

How Many Visits Does It Take to Get Rid of Poison Ivy?

At least two, usually. We treat everything we can find, then come back a few weeks later for anything missed or newly sprouted. Birds drop new seed every year, so nobody can promise it never returns.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Without Chemicals?

Yes, we can dig it out by hand, following each vine back to its roots and bagging everything. It takes longer and costs more than spraying, and we check the area again after a few rains for any root we missed.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Boston?

Mostly along edges: back fences, stone walls, tree trunks and the line where a yard meets woods or parkland. Naturalists have logged it at Franklin Park, the Arnold Arboretum, Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Olmsted Park, Stony Brook Reservation and Thompson Island, and city crews have sprayed it along park and playground fences and edges in Hyde Park, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roslindale, Brighton and East Boston.

Is There Poison Oak or Poison Sumac in Boston?

No, not that the records show. The plant here is eastern poison ivy, growing as ground cover, a shrub or a climbing vine. iNaturalist shows no verified poison oak or poison sumac sightings in Suffolk County, and poison sumac is a tall shrub that rings wetlands and bogs. Leaflets with lobed edges that look like oak are still poison ivy.

What Gets Mistaken for Poison Ivy in Boston?

Virginia creeper, Boston ivy, English ivy, bittersweet, wild grape, fragrant sumac and black swallow-wort. City parks staff have named each of them when closing 311 poison ivy reports that turned out to be something else. Young Boston ivy leaves can have three leaflets, but it clings with small adhesive discs, while old poison ivy climbs as a hairy rope.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Growing Up a Tree or Over a Stone Wall?

Yes, the poison ivy here is the climbing kind, and an old vine looks like a fuzzy rope on the trunk. We cut it near the ground, treat the stump so the roots die, and let the upper vine dry out instead of ripping it off the bark or the stones.

Will I Need to Be Home During the Work?

No, as long as we can reach the area. Leave the gate or side passage unlocked, keep kids and pets inside until we're done, and let any neighbor who shares the fence know we're coming.

How Long Does a Poison Ivy Job Take?

A spray visit for a typical yard is short. Digging roots out by hand, or cutting old vines out of trees and fences, takes much longer. We give you a time estimate along with the price.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent My Place?

Yes, but the owner or property manager has to approve it. About 64 percent of Boston households rent, so this is the usual situation here. Send us photos and your landlord's contact, and we'll quote the person who signs off.

Can My Landlord or Building Super Spray the Poison Ivy Themselves?

No, not at a building with more than three units, unless they hold a state pesticide license. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 132B requires one for anyone applying pesticides at larger residential properties, and UMass Extension notes that this includes janitors, maintenance staff and landlords.

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

Yes, anyone who sprays for hire on someone else's land must be licensed, even with a product a homeowner can buy off the shelf. The rule is 333 CMR 10.06, and licenses come from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Ask for the applicator's license number. Hand digging uses no herbicide, so it needs no pesticide license.

Will You Post a Sign or Leave Paperwork After Spraying My Lawn?

Yes, Massachusetts requires both by default when a company treats a residential lawn. A sign goes up before the application and stays for at least 24 hours and no more than 72, and you get a written statement with the applicator's license number, the products used and the label precautions.

Will the City of Boston Remove Poison Ivy From a Park or Sidewalk Next to Me?

Yes for city parks in most cases, and no for sidewalks. Parks crews have sprayed poison ivy in parks and playgrounds after BOS:311 reports, and one closing note says weeds that can cause public harm, such as poison ivy, are prioritized. Urban forestry has answered that it does not remove poison ivy from sidewalks. Give 311 an exact location.

Can the City Make My Neighbor Remove Poison Ivy?

No, not judging by the city's own 311 answers. Code enforcement has closed complaints by saying poison ivy is not a code enforcement issue and that it can only cite hedges that block a sidewalk. Massachusetts courts have generally left neighbors to self-help, meaning you may cut back what crosses onto your side. We can treat your side.

Can You Treat Poison Ivy in My Lawn Without Killing the Grass?

Yes, in most cases. UMass Extension notes that lawn grasses tolerate triclopyr, so that is the herbicide to use where spray may land on turf. Glyphosate would take the grass out with the ivy. Either one will injure flowers and shrubs, so we keep the spray off those.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Boston in the Winter?

Yes, we can cut vines off trees and fences in winter, but spraying waits for leaves. One city parks reply to a 311 request put it plainly: poison ivy cannot be controlled when the plant is dormant. With January averaging about 30 degrees at Logan, digging usually waits for a thaw. Bare vines still carry the oil.

Does Rain Get in the Way of Spraying in Boston Summers?

Yes, sometimes. Logan Airport averages measurable rain on about 9 to 11 days a month from June through September, and herbicide has to dry on the leaves before rain arrives, so we watch the forecast and shift visits. July highs average about 82 degrees, so heat is less of a limit here than rain.

Can I Put Poison Ivy in My Boston Yard Waste or Trash?

No, the regular trash is the wrong place for it under state rules. Those rules ban leaves and other yard waste from landfills and incinerators, and the state's definition of yard waste includes weeds and brush. Ask Boston Public Works whether poison ivy can go out with leaf and yard waste, and never compost it at home. We bag what we remove and take it with us.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Boston?

No, state air rules do not allow residents to burn brush in Boston at any time of year. Boston is left out of the January 15 to May 1 open burning season under 310 CMR 7.07. Burning poison ivy is dangerous anywhere, because the smoke carries the oil into your lungs.

Do I Need a Permit to Remove Poison Ivy Near a River or Wetland in Boston?

No, none that we know of for an ordinary yard, but ground near water is different. The state Wetlands Protection Act can cover work within 100 feet of a wetland, and within 25 feet of a river bank in Boston, and filings go to the city's conservation commission. Check with the commission before clearing or spraying there.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy at a School or Daycare in Massachusetts?

Yes, with the state's rules followed. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 132B bars outdoor pesticide use at schools and child care centers while children are on or next to the area, requires written notice to parents and staff at least two working days ahead, and allows only licensed applicators. Hand digging avoids the pesticide rules.