Acres of Poison Ivy

[NatJ]

After reading up on your link I’m more worried about that product damaging our trees I want to keep the forest but eliminate the poison ivy

Maybe hire goats to eat all the leaves, then put down mountains of thick paper or cardboard mulch, covered by mountains of wood chips? That might be enough to keep it buried so the poison ivy dies instead of resprouting. And all of that will eventually rot and fertilize the trees. The trick is to get it thick enough that the unwanted plants die before the mulch rots.

I mostly worry that most goats come with dogs and I have a pack that is not friendly to other dogs and I know dogs that protect goats would easily take on my pack

Depending on how many days it takes, you might be able to just keep your dogs in the house, and take them out for bathroom breaks one at a time on leash. Or board your dogs somewhere for a few days?

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Goats browse, not Graze. They will eat the Ivy, and it won't seemingly hurt them, but they won't get rid of it, and they may transfer it to you if you touch them after they've rubbed against it. Transfer can happen with your chickens, too - they are smart enough not to eat a harmful amount of the stuff.

Rather than Glyphosphate, I recommend Triclopyr, which is great for woody vines. 2,4-D, unfortunately, is not. The local forestry services (FL, GA, and AL) all recommend a product with just Tryclopyr for poison ivy control, as opposed to one with both Tryclopyr and 2,4-D.

Source (among others)

You're sure its not Virginia Creeper (some of it???) Just being hopeful here, its often mistaken for poison ivy.

I was fixing to ask if it was for sure poison ivy. Lots of things are mistaken for it. Here in Missouri its quite odd for poison ivy to absolutely cover a forest floor like this, whileas our forest floors are abundant with look alikes. And when i say abundant, i mean absolutely covered, lol.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

Your forest, your decision. Triclopyr is more selective than Roundup, and less damaging to the ecosystem - but it is serious business, and needs to be used the right way.

Here's a longer article, covering most available herbicides (not all of which may be available to you). Hope it helps in your efforts to make an educated decision on control methods - and I do applaud your choice to research first. Wish more would do so.

I’m that person that does extensive research on most things or gets something then does extensive research and realizes it’s no good I really like to be in the know and actually feel the least educated when around my husbands family.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don't miss stepping barefoot on these. We had some growing up. Honestly, I'd hack the tree all around with a machete and spray them with the triclopyr. or glyphosphate. or whatever I had handy.

Maybe leave some on the back acres where I don't walk - but in the 10 acres where I do spend my time??? NO sweet gum. My condolences.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I was fixing to ask if it was for sure poison ivy. Lots of things are mistaken for it. Here in Missouri its quite odd for poison ivy to absolutely cover a forest floor like this, whileas our forest floors are abundant with look alikes. And when i say abundant, i mean absolutely covered, lol.

I’ll try and post some photos and maybe everyone can tell me I’m wrong and make me feel 10000% better

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I don't miss stepping barefoot on these. We had some growing up. Honestly, I'd hack the tree all around with a machete and spray them with the triclopyr. or glyphosphate. or whatever I had handy.

Maybe leave some on the back acres where I don't walk - but in the 10 acres where I do spend my time??? NO sweet gum. My condolences.

View attachment 2660355

What’s even worse is that even with shoes on you end up “slipping” on them as they congregate after a heavy rain and they don’t burn well

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

Maybe hire goats to eat all the leaves, then put down mountains of thick paper or cardboard mulch, covered by mountains of wood chips? That might be enough to keep it buried so the poison ivy dies instead of resprouting. And all of that will eventually rot and fertilize the trees. The trick is to get it thick enough that the unwanted plants die before the mulch rots.



Depending on how many days it takes, you might be able to just keep your dogs in the house, and take them out for bathroom breaks one at a time on leash. Or board your dogs somewhere for a few days?

The thing is I want the chickens to be on the forest floor so if I drown it in mulch (which we luckily have a free mulch place down the road) I feel like it won’t help my issue until years later when the forest rehabs itself.

 

[WestTNriverrat]

I dove deep into researching poison ivy and I really wish it was all Virginia Creeper we have some VC but the ground is covered in PI for sure. I’ll look into that! I’d like to peruse the least earth destructive route but I also hate the ivy

If you’re as allergic to poison ivy as it seems you can get a similar rash from Virginia Creeper.
My step father cut up a tree with VC vine thick on it. He swears it was poison ivy but it was actually VC. Got tired of arguing so I just let him think what ever he wants. Anyway the saw cutting the vines and the spray put him in a bad way for a pretty good piece. Nearly swelled his eyes closed even with safety glasses on.
Long story short depending on your body chemistry VC can give similar reactions as poison ivy. If you get the juices on you.
I’d look for someone to remove it for you either a landscape company or someone with an applicators license. I’m not super allergic to poison ivy (mild rash sometimes) so I normally use long sleeves gloves face shield and weed eater and cut it to the ground and then some.

 

[WestTNriverrat]

The thing is I want the chickens to be on the forest floor so if I drown it in mulch (which we luckily have a free mulch place down the road) I feel like it won’t help my issue until years later when the forest rehabs itself.

It will push through mulch just like it was dirt. It can grow up trees and live even with no ground contact. Maybe if you laid black plastic down first. If not your just hindering its competition.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

If you’re as allergic to poison ivy as it seems you can get a similar rash from Virginia Creeper.
My step father cut up a tree with VC vine thick on it. He swears it was poison ivy but it was actually VC. Got tired of arguing so I just let him think what ever he wants. Anyway the saw cutting the vines and the spray put him in a bad way for a pretty good piece. Nearly swelled his eyes closed even with safety glasses on.
Long story short depending on your body chemistry VC can give similar reactions as poison ivy. If you get the juices on you.
I’d look for someone to remove it for you either a landscape company or someone with an applicators license. I’m not super allergic to poison ivy (mild rash sometimes) so I normally use long sleeves gloves face shield and weed eater and cut it to the ground and then some.

My husband isn’t allergic at all so he claims he will go out and weed it all of it (as long as I keep the weed eater stocked on cord or whatever it’s called We got this weird on and he battles to thread it but I’ve got it down so it’s our new system)
However he’s real good at making a looooong project list and tackles one maybe 2 things but he works over 72 hours most weeks and enjoys “days off” whatever those are