The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Here is one of the quotes from the IN thread on how she handles it.

Quote:

I have used straight ammonia, or bleach at the root of the plant. best done at the peak of the day when the ground is dry. Many farmers use ammonia derivative to kill weeds. I rarely have a reaction to it and did have it on my legs last week! So its killer stuff this year

Bleach is safer than a lot of products out there if used carefully and properly.

Can you give a short on how to use it properly? How much do you use?

Then...you have the dead plants and roots that need to be removed so you don't continue to pick up the oils from them. Is there any best way to accomplish that?

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Was joking around about this in the Indy thread, but I'll do the serious reply here.

The only way to keep p.I. from re-seeding is to salt the earth to the point that it will not support the new ivy. I think there are several "safe" chemicals like ammonia or bleach that will prevent future growth, but I haven't tried them.

I have no idea how you'll get it all out of your woods without totally razing the woods. I think you're right about getting it from your birds, especially if they're eating the berries.

My best recommendation for your situation is to have minimal contact with the birds. When you do have to handle them, suit up. Long sleeves and pants of heavy, tight weave cloth, nitrile gloves, shoes that you don't use for anything else. Then as soon as you're done, dump it all in the wash, remove gloves last, so you don't get it on your hands.

Then go take a shower.

The other thing I'll say (again) is call your doc and tell them to call in a scrip for hydroxyzine 10mg. Take one in the morning and one at night, and enjoy the sweet, sweet relief. I wouldn't be pimpin this stuff like a broken record if it weren't legit.

 

[Kassaundra]

so how do you do that?

You use the torch to heat the plant, I forget if it was the base or the top, but you don't actually burn the weed. I researched it some time ago so the memory is a bit foggy. I was hoping to get one, but other stuff kept taking priority, but I really really want one.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here's a link on the weed burners:

http://virtualseconds.com/propane-weed-burner/

 

[Kassaundra]

Here's a link on the weed burners:

http://virtualseconds.com/propane-weed-burner/

I was just reading that exact site and came over to put the link up! lol

 

[ChickChickChicky]

I have a propane weed burner and use it frequently to get rid of weeds. The flame is big, super-hot, and is somewhat difficult to control. If you're looking for pinpoint accuracy, it's not happening. If you get the flame too near to desirable plants it will kill them as well. You really have NO control as to which plant (or portion of a plant) will burst into flames and which will just wilt down. Best to wear thick soled shoes when using a torch so you can stomp out unintended flames as well as have a water hose nearby. I would NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER use it on poison ivy, EVER... if the plant bursts into flames, anyone (including your neighbors, livestock and pets) who inhales that smoke could DIE.

Honestly, just break down and use glyphosate (Roundup or Kleenup), it kills it fast and has a MUCH lower permanent toxicity than salt or bleach. Ammonia is a component of fertilizer (nitrogen) but will DEFINITELY kill all plants that are overdosed with it, and will be bad news for fish and other wildlife as it is leached into the water supply. I don't understand how people can believe that just because something is "natural" (ammonia, bleach, salt????) that it has less harmful effects than "chemicals" (glyphosate). THEY ARE ALL CHEMICALS, folks!!!!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I don't understand how people can believe that just because something is "natural" (ammonia, bleach, salt????) that it has less harmful effects than "chemicals" (glyphosate). THEY ARE ALL CHEMICALS, folks!!!!

I don't think they're less harmful. I just know that for thousands of years, salt has been the traditional cure for your enemie's food supply, and it does a number on p.I. too.

As far as I'm concerned, p.I. and I are engaged in a war of attrition. The rest of nature can get over it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yep. It's all out war.

I had planned on either salting or using something like white vinegar on the cut roots of the PI judiciously so that it doesn't poison the whole ground. The idea is to get the root to take up the salt or vinegar (or whatever else you feel comfortable using) rather than just dumping salt willy-nilly all over the ground.

I won't use a burner - too dangerous. Also won't use glyphosate - too dangerous in many ways. I really like jchny's method. Hard work but worth it.

EDITED TO CLARIFY WHAT I MEANT ABOUT USING SALT. I WAS VERY UNCLEAR BEFORE.

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: What I'd REALLY like to do is hire someone else to take care of it.

 

[MumsyII]

Did anyone ever think that maybe poison ivy IS nature's way of over compensating for man's encroachment? Man ruins the earth, earth ruins man. Man poisons the earth, earth poisons man. Ironic?

I don't have this scourge where I live but have total sympathy for you Leahs Mom. I have no answer.

Wish I did.