Best Brush Killer for Poison Ivy, Weeds, and Woody Plants

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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Without regular landscape maintenance practices, any tract of land can be subject to the infestation of stubborn weeds and brushes, including the infamous poison ivy. When the area is infested with these unwanted plants, it can become a less productive environment. A simple solution to the situation is getting the best brush killer.

These products can help you get rid of weeds without having to handle them directly, ensuring your safety. This post discusses the best brush killers available and the factors to look at when choosing your weed killer.

Let's get started!

1. Roundup Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer

RoundUp Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Concentrate Killer...
  • Exclusive formula combines 2 brush killing ingredients
  • Specially formulated to penetrate waxy leaves of hard-to-kill...
  • Rainproof in 30 minutes
  • Treats up to 1,500 sq. ft
  • Visible results in 24 hours

The best brush killer on the market is the Roundup Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer, which is the ideal solution for getting rid of brush and weeds from your yard. This brush-killing solution combines two potent ingredients that can easily kill stubborn grass, weeds, and vines to leave your compound only with desirable plants.

You don't have to guess whether this product is working because it comes with a customer guarantee. This means that if you are dissatisfied with the performance of this weed killer, you can get your money back if you show proof of purchase. It works by killing the brush right from the roots to ensure it won't regrow, making it a permanent solution for any garden or lawn.

Even in wet weather, you don't have to worry about rain diluting the potency of this brush killer since it takes approximately 30 minutes to become rainproof. As a result, it'll keep working even when it's raining to ensure your compound is free from unwanted plants like poison ivy. Plus, you won't have to wait for weeks to see results because it delivers results within as little as 24 hours.

This weed killer is not only useful in killing poison ivy but also kudzu, poison sumac, poison oak, and wild blackberry.

Pros:

  • Easy to use.
  • Results within 24 hours.
  • Rainproof performance.
  • Prevents regrowth.

Cons:

  • Sprayer is delicate.
  • It might need two applications for stubborn plants.

2. BrushTox Brush Killer Concentrate

Sale
BrushTox Brush Killer with Triclopyr, 32 oz
  • Treats up to 1 Acre
  • For control of woody plants and broadleaf weeds
  • To control resprouting of freshly cut stumps
  • Works on permanent grass Pastures irrigation ditch banks right of...

If your field is infested with woody plants and broadleaf weeds, your best bet is to go with the BrushTox Brush Killer Concentrate, which is a 32-ounce solution. It's potent enough to get rid of unwanted plants within an area as large as an acre. So, if you have a large tract of land filled with various weeds, this is the best brush killer for you.

This concentrate is designed to tackle more than 60 types of weeds, including wild rose and poison oak, in addition to the 30 broadleaf weeds, it can kill. As a result, it is among the most versatile and comprehensive brush killers you can find. While it can function as a brush killer, this concentrate is primarily designed as a herbicide for grass pastures, ditch banks, and fencerows.

Something to keep in mind when buying this brush killer is that you'll need to time the application if you want ideal results. This means you'll need to use guides such as the USDA Planting Zones Guide to ensure you apply the solution at the right time.

Pros:

  • Kills numerous weeds and brushes.
  • Affordable.
  • Great for small and large spaces.
  • Can kill stumps.

Cons:

  • Takes a while to work.

3. Ortho Max Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Ready to Use

Ortho MAX Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Ready-To-Use...
  • Kills over 60 types of tough brush and weeds
  • Kills poison ivy, poison oak, kudzu and wild blackberries
  • Kills woody plants including stumps and vines
  • Rainproof in 2 hours
  • Kills the toughest, brushy weeds

The third brush killer we'll discuss is the Ortho Max Tough Brush Killer, which is formulated to eradicate more than 60 different brush weeds. It's a great option if you want to remove poison ivy, wild blackberries, and poison oak from your premises. This weed killer will also help kill vines, stumps, and woody plants within a limited amount of time.

It kills weeds from the roots to ensure no room for regrowth, meaning it helps remove them once for all. You might be concerned that this concentrate will get diluted in the rain, making it less effective. However, you can rest easy since it becomes rainproof after two hours of application to ensure it's not washed away by rain.

For stubborn weeds like horsetail, you might need to apply this chemical two to three times for complete effectiveness. Nevertheless, for standard weeds, you can expect results within 3-5 days after treatment.

Pros:

  • Can kill weeds, brush, and stumps.
  • Becomes rainproof in 2 hours.
  • Kills weeds from the roots.
  • Great for stubborn brush.

Cons:

  • Sprayer gets clogged during use.
  • Not effective against English Ivy.

4. BioAdvanced Brush Killer Plus

BioAdvanced 704645A Brush Killer Plus, Poison Ivy...
  • Special formula: special penetrating formula, kills even the...
  • Brush killer: kills kudzu, poison Ivy, poison oak, blackberry,...
  • Results: start seeing visual results in 1- 6 weeks
  • Rainproof protection: rainproof in 4 hours
  • 32 oz ready-to-spray

Next, we have the BioAdvanced Brush Killer Plus, a special formula designed to permeate the toughest weeds and kill them from the root, making it an effective weed preventer. If you are looking for a permanent solution for the brush and woody plants plaguing your land, this is among the best weed killers you can use.

Even if you have rare weeds growing in your place, you don't have to fret when you have this BioAdvanced weed killer. It can quickly eliminate up to 94 weeds and brush to ensure you have brush-free land. Plus, it won't wash off even when it rains since it only needs four hours to completely dry and become rainproof.

You'll be glad to know that this brush killer also works as a stump killer. It's potent enough to prevent stumps from sprouting. Additionally, you can attach your garden hose to this ready-to-use product to provide additional pressure to treat large areas without hassle. As such, you can spray it as you walk backward after turning on the hose.

You should start looking for yellowing or wilting in the weeds within 1-6 weeks of application to see results.

Pros:

  • Ideal for large areas.
  • High effectiveness.
  • Rainproof in 4 hours.
  • Eradicates almost 100 different weeds.

Cons:

  • It could take about 6 weeks to kill stubborn brush.

5. Southern Ag Crossbow Specialty Weed & Brush Herbicide

Sale
Southern Ag Crossbow Specialty Herbicide Low Volatile...
  • Southern AG Crossbow Weed & Brush Killer 1gal Used for the...
  • Will make up to 96 gallons of spray solution
  • Active Ingredients: Garlon, 2,4-D
  • Model Number: 100520254

Lastly, we have the Southern Ag Crossbow Weed and Brush Herbicide which is formulated to manage various brush and weeds. Since it's more potent than standard weed killers, you can dilute it to make 94 gallons of weed-killing solution.

This Southern Ag Brush Killer is what you need to remove the annual and perennial broadleaf weeds in your range. Nevertheless, you'll want to measure the ingredients correctly if you want optimal results. Plus, some weeds will require more than one application for the brush killer to be effective.

It also works on tree stumps which is an additional benefit, and since it is a spot treatment solution, it doesn't harm the environment if properly applied.

Pros:

  • Good price range.
  • Removes broadleaf weeds and brush.
  • Potent solution.
  • Great for large areas.

Cons:

  • It could take longer to see visible results.

How Can You Get Rid of Poison Ivy?

Poison ivy is among the toughest weeds to remove from your property since it easily spreads. To completely kill it, you'll need to take strategic approaches like organic or chemical treatments.

1. Organic Treatment

When dealing with problematic plants and weeds, you can try organic methods of control. You'll need to tackle this plant from the root to ensure there isn't any chance for regrowth. Unfortunately, pulling it out isn't an easy task since it causes discomfort and allergic reactions that can leave you in pain.

As such, you'll want to wear protective gear if you are bent on uprooting this plant. You'll need to ensure each part of your body is well covered to prevent any direct contact with poison ivy. Even after removal, you should ensure you avoid touching the gear you've used since some of the ivies can be transferred to your skin.

2. Chemical Treatment

Chemical methods of removing ivy are more effective compared to organic methods. If you want to ensure that this weed won't regrow, using chemicals is the safest bet. Nevertheless, you might have to apply the concentrate several times to completely kill the plant from the root. You'll need to apply the solution on the leaves from where they will permeate the entire plant to kill it and prevent it from growing back.

What’s the Best Time to Treat Poison Ivy?

If you are uprooting this plant, the best time to do so is after it rains when the ground is moist or wet. This is because the soil will be easy to dig around, making it easier to remove them. This weed starts to sprout around May, and removing it after it fully develops is the most effective way to ensure it doesn't regrow.

When the Ivy is mature, the leaves will transport the chemicals much faster to ensure the plant dies from within. Keep in mind killing poison ivy is mostly a long-term process since it is resilient and can keep coming back. Plus, you wouldn't want to apply the chemical during a rainy day since the water will wash it off from the leaves.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Brush Killers

1. Types of Brush Killers

Your brush killers will come in one of two forms; herbicide concentrates or ready-to-use sprays. As the name suggests, ready-to-use sprays are formulated to the ideal potency, meaning you only need to apply them to kill the weeds.

On the other hand, herbicide concentrates are formulated with a lot of strength and require you to dilute them before using them. Therefore, they are more suitable for large areas since a small amount can go a long way.

2. Systemic vs. Contact

Systemic herbicides are the ones designed to kill the weeds from the leaves to the roots. They do this by penetrating the leaves and destroying the plant from within, making them the ideal solution if you are battling weeds that keep regrowing. However, it'll take several applications before the plants are completely dead.

Contact chemicals only kill the part of the plant where you spray them. This means that they won't reach the roots, which allows the weeds to regrow even after the leaves and stem die.

3. Waterproofing

Since you'll be applying the brush killers to plants situated outdoors, you should know that water can wash the chemicals off the plants rendering the treatment ineffective. That's why one of the things to look for in a brush killer is quick-drying capabilities.

Your chemical could take anything from 30 minutes to four hours to dry. Once dry, the chemical should be rainproof to ensure it'll continue working even when the rain beats against the plant's leaves. The faster the chemical dries, the more effective it'll be against the brush and weeds in your area.

4. Potency

Weed killers vary in chemical potency, which means that they take different periods to completely eradicate the weeds. Some are so effective that you can start seeing results in as little as a day, while others will require you to wait for weeks.

The types of weeds on your property can also affect how quickly the weed killer works. There are plants that you'll have to treat for longer to ensure they won't regrow, while others could quickly die from the first application. If you want fast results, you'll want a solution that is potent enough to work within the first try. Unfortunately, if the chemical is too potent, it can prevent any plants from growing on your land in the future.

5. Safety

The last factor for your consideration is the level of safety the product provides. Unfortunately, the chemical nature of weed killers makes them dangerous for direct contact or ingestion. This means that you'll need to equip yourself with protective gear like gloves and long-sleeved clothing.

You'll also want to avoid storing the chemicals where children or pets can easily access them since there could be severe consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best brush killer on the market?

The best brush killer you can buy is the Roundup Poison Ivy Plus Tough Brush Killer.

2. Can vinegar kill brush and vine permanently?

Yes, vinegar has proven to be an effective treatment for various weeds. However, there is no guarantee of success that it will prevent regrowth even after success.

3. Can brush killers also kill tree stumps?

Some brush killers are formulated to prevent tree stumps from sprouting or regeneration in addition to killing weeds.

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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