Poison Ivy and Goats





The organiphobes recommend spraying 2,4-D and other toxic herbicides but that's a very bad idea. Toxic products contaminate the soil, the water, the air, wildlife, pets, you and me. Plus, they don't work very well anyway. Besides being very dangerous toxic chemical for the soil, water, air and you, it will kill your trees. Poison ivy must be physically removed.

Goats will eat it into oblivion for you or you can hire someone to dig it out. Then as it starts to grow back, the young returning growth can be sprayed with the vinegar-based herbicide. Add one ounce of d-limonene such as Orange TKO and one teaspoon liquid soap to one gallon of 10% vinegar made from grain alcohol. The skin rash can be treated with the juice of comfrey. When applied early on, it is quite effective. Poison oak has a more oak-like leaf but has the same properties as poison ivy.

Poison Ivy with Fall color.

The organiphobes recommend spraying 2,4-D and other toxic herbicides but that's a very bad idea. Toxic products contaminate the soil, the water, the air, wildlife, pets, you and me. Plus, they don't work very well anyway. Besides being very dangerous toxic chemical for the soil, water, air and you, it will kill your trees. Poison ivy must be physically removed.

Goats will eat it into oblivion for you or you can hire someone to dig it out. Then as it starts to grow back, the young returning growth can be sprayed with the vinegar-based herbicide. Add one ounce of d-limonene such as Orange TKO and one teaspoon liquid soap to one gallon of 10% vinegar made from grain alcohol. The skin rash can be treated with the juice of comfrey. When applied early on, it is quite effective. Poison oak has a more oak-like leaf but has the same properties as poison ivy.

Poison Ivy – "Leaves of three. . .let them be!"

Reader photo submitted by Dan M. Roberts

Reader photo submitted by Dan M. Roberts

Looking for a job in the great outdoors? Love animals? Like money? Then you might take a look at a growing new business in the U.S. -- renting out animals to clear troublesome brush. The goat herd of Rent-A-Ruminant LLC is over 100 strong and voracious, cleaning up parks, construction sites, school grounds and private business greenery in the Seattle area. The company erects an electric fence around the land to be cleared of unwanted botany such as blackberry bushes, ivy, morning glories (my personal torment), nettles, thistles and the like.

The goats can work steep slopes where machines can't, precluding the necessity of using herbicides. They also fertilize the ground as they work. And they're way cuter than a tractor or a brush hog.

The goats don't work for peanuts, though. Owner Tammy Dunakin told me via e-mail that their average job requires a herd of 60 or 120, which costs $750 a day, usually with a three-day minimum and a setup and transportation charge of $350 to $500. They also offer a 15-head herd for $250 a day. [check for current rates]

Goats have also been used successfully in the southeast to fight the widespread plant pestilence, kudzu.

Yes, this could be a cool business opportunity, but you know who has an even better job than the goat-herder? The goats; they eat for a living!.

Question: What is the best way to get rid of poison ivy? Cutting it down does not help. Is there something that will kill it permanently? E.L., Duncanville

Answer: Cutting the vines to the ground now and digging out as much of the plant as possible is Step 1. Next, spray the tender growth as it emerges in the spring. Instead of using toxic broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D, use vinegar-based organic herbicides. Your only other option is to buy or rent some goats. They love to eat poison ivy

Note from listener: If someone has a large acreage with poison ivy, goats are a great option. They love poison ivy and will eat it before anything else. They eat all the green growth and any new sprouts are immediately eaten. Meat goats are much better than milk goats. Milk goats are more picky eaters. —Carl F.

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