Poison Ivy Removal Services in Richmond, VA

Poison Ivy Removal Titans removes poison ivy from yards, alleys, fence lines and trees across Richmond, VA. Richmond is an independent city, counted as its own county and bordered by Henrico County, so the weed, trash and burning rules for your yard are the city's own. About half the homes here were built before 1960 and tree canopy covers a little over 40 percent of the city, so much of the work is old vines on old trees. Contact us now for a free estimate.

How Much Does Poison Ivy Removal Cost in Richmond, VA?

Poison ivy removal in Richmond costs anywhere from $290 to $670 on average for a typical residential yard. Thick vines up mature trees cost more than a patch on the ground, and so does a back yard we can only reach through the alley. Hand work near the James River or a creek takes longer than spraying. Hauling is in the price too, because the city's two drop-off sites turn away contractor debris. Send photos for a firm price.

Which Richmond Neighborhoods Do You Cover?

All of them. We take jobs in The Fan, the Museum District, Church Hill, Highland Park, Ginter Park, Bellevue, Jackson Ward, Manchester, Swansboro, Woodland Heights, Westover Hills, Forest Hill, Stratford Hills, Stony Point and the West End. The city covers about 60 square miles and we work all of it.

Is Poison Ivy Common in Richmond?

Yes, very. Maymont's horticulture director once told a local news site that poison ivy is everywhere in the community. Volunteer plant records agree: about 7 of every 1,000 plant sightings logged in the city are poison ivy. With tree canopy covering slightly over 40 percent of Richmond, it has plenty of shaded edges to climb.

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

Mid spring through early fall for spraying, once the leaves are fully out. At Richmond International Airport the last spring freeze falls around April 3 and the first fall freeze around November 4, about 215 days apart. Thick vines can be cut and stump-treated into fall, and roots can be dug in any month.

How Soon Can You Come Out?

Usually within about a week. Spring into early summer is the rush, when new leaves show and people get back into their gardens, so contact us early if you want it gone before the heat sets in.

What Do You Need From Me for a Quote?

The address, a few photos, the rough size of the patch, and what it is growing on, such as a fence, a tree or open ground. Tell us if the only way into the back yard is through the alley, and whether the lot backs onto a creek or a park.

Who Removes Poison Ivy in Richmond?

Mostly landscapers, lawn-care applicators and tree services, plus a couple of outfits that pull it by hand without herbicide. One national directory of poison ivy specialists lists only two for all of Virginia, one of them covering Richmond. Ask whoever you hire about roots, return visits and haul-away.

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

Yes. Under Virginia law nobody may apply a pesticide commercially without a pesticide business license and a certified commercial applicator. The state agriculture department, VDACS, certifies applicators, and yard work falls in category 3, ornamental and turf. Hand digging uses no pesticide, so a crew that only digs does not need one.

Will the Poison Ivy Come Back After You Remove It?

Yes, some of it usually does. Root pieces left in the soil resprout, and birds keep dropping seed along fences and under limbs. We plan a return visit about a month later to treat new shoots, and an old, thick stand can take a second season to finish.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Vines From My Trees?

Yes. Poison ivy in Virginia climbs, on a stem whose aerial roots make it look like a fuzzy rope. Nearly 3 in 10 Richmond homes were built before 1940, so many yards have old trees with decades-old vines. We cut each vine at the base, treat the stump, and let the top die on the trunk.

Where Does Poison Ivy Grow in Richmond?

Mostly along the James and at wooded edges. Volunteer sightings cluster on Belle Isle, the North Bank Trail, Pony Pasture, Maymont, Byrd Park, Bryan Park, Forest Hill Park and Powhite Park. In yards it follows back fences, alley edges and the base of big trees, where birds perch and drop seed.

What Plants in Richmond Get Mistaken for Poison Ivy?

Virginia creeper most often, which has five leaflets, not three. A Virginia Tech researcher also names wild blackberry and raspberry, which have thorns and saw-toothed leaves, and hog peanut, which twines. On tree trunks here the usual mix-up is English ivy or winter creeper, which volunteers pull from the James River Park System.

Will I Need to Be Home During the Work?

No, as long as we can reach the patch and know where it is. Leave the gate or alley door unlocked, keep kids and dogs inside until any spray has dried, and tell us about sprinkler heads or a buried dog fence.

Can I Request Removal if I Rent in Richmond?

Yes, with your landlord's or property manager's approval. Most occupied homes in Richmond are rentals, about 57 percent, and the city says a tenant can also receive a code notice for the property. Settle in writing who handles the yard. We can send the estimate straight to the owner.

What Can I Do About Poison Ivy Coming From My Neighbor's Yard?

Cut it back to the property line, and no farther. Virginia's Supreme Court said in 2007 that an owner may cut encroaching vegetation back to the line at their own expense. We treat your side only. If the lot next door is overgrown past 12 inches, the city's code enforcement division takes reports through RVA311.

Who Is Responsible for Poison Ivy in the Alley Behind My House?

You are, out to the middle of the alley. The city maintains the alley surface, but its property maintenance rules have owners keep up the area from the yard to the center of the alley, cut weeds before they reach 12 inches, and trim anything that protrudes into the alley or sidewalk.

Do I Need a Permit to Remove Poison Ivy in Richmond?

No, not for an ordinary yard, whatever some websites say. Two exceptions matter. Within 100 feet of tidal shore, wetlands or a year-round stream, the Chesapeake Bay buffer is protected, and state rules allow vegetation to be removed there only with the city's approval. And a vine on a street tree is on a city tree, which takes an Urban Forestry permit to work on. Ask the city's Water Resources Division before clearing near water.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy Near the James River or a Creek?

Yes, by hand or with a herbicide labeled for use near water. River and creek bottoms are where poison ivy grows thickest, which is why so many Richmond sightings sit in the James River Park System. Tell us how close the patch is to the water, since the 100-foot buffer rule may apply.

Can I Put Poison Ivy Out With My Trash in Richmond?

Yes, sealed in bags and placed inside your city Supercan, which is where the city says household trash must go. Its trash and brush pages do not mention poison ivy by name. Keep it out of brush piles and compost. Residents can also take yard waste to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center. On our jobs we haul it away.

Is It Legal to Burn Poison Ivy in Richmond?

No, not without a permit from the Fire Marshal. The city requires one for an open fire on any public or private ground, applied for in writing at least ten days ahead, with the fire at least 50 feet from any structure. Never burn poison ivy anywhere, because the smoke carries the oil and you breathe it in.

Does Richmond Require Homeowners to Remove Poison Ivy?

No, not by name as far as we can find, and poison ivy is not on Virginia's noxious weed list. What the city enforces is overgrowth: weeds must stay under 12 inches and out of the sidewalk and alley. Ignored notices can lead to a court summons, or the city does the work and places a tax lien on the property.

Who Handles Poison Ivy on a Street Tree or in a City Park?

The city does. Public Works' Grounds Management Division handles vegetation control in public rights of way and parks, and Urban Forestry looks after about 78,300 city-owned trees. Report it by calling 3-1-1 or through RVA311. Park rules forbid cutting park trees or shrubs yourself, and we cannot work on public land.

Can You Remove Poison Ivy in Winter in Richmond?

Yes, most weeks. January lows at the airport average about 29 degrees and a normal winter brings about 9 inches of snow, so there are plenty of workable days. We cut vines and dig roots in winter and save leaf sprays for spring. Leafless vines are just as able to give you a rash.

Is a Richmond Summer Too Hot or Rainy to Spray?

No, but we pick our days. A normal July here has highs near 90 degrees and measurable rain on about 11 days. Spray has to dry on the leaf to work, so we go out on dry, calm mornings and move the visit when afternoon storms are forecast.

Will Poison Ivy Get Worse After a Storm Takes Down Trees?

Yes, it often does. Poison ivy tends to increase after windstorms open the canopy. In September 2018, storms tied to Florence spun up tornadoes that snapped and uprooted trees at Stony Point and from Byrd Park into Windsor Farms. Watch any newly opened spot for a season or two.

Does Poison Oak or Poison Sumac Grow in Richmond?

No, not in any volunteer plant record for the city. Virginia Cooperative Extension says both grow in the state, poison oak on dry sites mainly in eastern Virginia and poison sumac on moist sites, but poison ivy is by far the most common. All 400-plus volunteer records for Richmond are poison ivy. Its leaflets are often lobed or notched, so a lobed leaf does not make it poison oak.

Which Richmond ZIP Codes Do You Serve?

All of them. That includes 23219 downtown, 23220 along West Broad Street, 23223 around Chimborazo and Libby Hill parks, 23227 by Bryan Park, 23225 in Forest Hill and Woodland Heights, 23224 in Swansboro and Blackwell, 23234 near Broad Rock and 23235 at Stony Point, plus 23221, 23222, 23226, 23230 and 23231.

Do You Cover Henrico and Chesterfield Counties Too?

Yes, we take jobs across the Richmond region, including Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties. The plant is the same and so is Virginia's license rule. Trash, burning and weed rules belong to each county, so what this page says about Richmond stops at the city line.

Can I Hire Goats to Eat Poison Ivy in Richmond?

Yes, goats are for hire in the Richmond area, and a rented herd worked on vines at Pony Pasture in the James River Park System in 2017. Goats strip leaves, not roots, so the plants resprout and the herd has to come back. Check with the city before bringing livestock onto a residential lot.