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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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An acre isn't too big to hit any new growth with Roundup, after two years of that (after the goats) it will be pretty much gone. Another option is to buy or rent a tractor and till it 2-3 times a year to get the new growth.
Best to wear heavy disposable clothes and gloves and full mask respirator to pull off the branches and best to burn them in a pile ...... They say use a herbicide with triclopyr in the early spring ........ ... I remember when I was young and pulled down poison oak off a building not knowing what it was , got a bad rash from this on my arms .... so you will need heavy clothes which plastic disposable coveralls ..
It could be deadly to breathe in smoke from burning poison ivy/oak/sumac. Sounds like rent a goat or a bush hog would be the way to go. Also, I would think if you went the route of rent a goat, the owners would look over the property for any dangers to the animals.
Hi, I have one acre of land that is full of shrubs. Among them, there is poison oak. The picture shows the different types of plants and shrubs all mixed together.
I would like to get rid of the poison oak. What is the best way? I don't want to use chemicals.
avoid the smoke because you can poison oak like poison ivy all over
Put boots and long sleaves on and leave it be, there are plenty of sterile grass death zones as it is. And it not like people use those sterilized acres of grass for anything, it is just senseless murder of multitude of living things in the name of Hollywood inspired aesthetics and upward appearances.
I would personally consider hiring someone to deal with it. I remember reading a newspaper article about a guy in my area who removed poison ivy from backyards. His rates seemed pretty reasonable for a chore that most would rather not do. Paying someone to take care of an acre might not be too bad. I DIY most things, but this is exactly the type of unpleasant task I might consider outsourcing.
Brush hog. That is a heavy duty mower that you pull behind a tractor. Mow it down, maybe go over it again in a cross direction. Do this every month or two during growing season and the debris will decompose. If you don't want to use a herbicide, just keep doing it. Mow, mow, mow. Eventually the grass will take over. Zoisite, above, is absolutely right. All you have now is a bunch of weeds and some bunch grass, but the grasses could make a nice pasture/rough lawn after a year or so. Herbicides will just help keep it grassy.
The only thing I use Herbicide on is Poison Oak... I can hit it from a distance and spot treat.
It is very tenacious... had many acres of it as a kid and deathly susceptible to it...
Mowing, Bull Dozing, Cutting, etc all led to full blown cases... just the dust from the tractor was enough to come down with it so as for do it yourself my options were limited.
If allowed to dry a few weeks, smoke from poison oak is far less hazardous. Drier also means less smoke. But still, don't breath it.
I've done this before with no problems, just stay upwind. I purchased several small lots that had grown wild for many years, there was poison ivy and various brush.
A non toxic week killer
1 Gallon white vinegar
2 cups multi purpose epsom salt
1/4 cup regular blue dawn dish soap
I've used it. it works. Not as effective as round up but not as toxic. Epsom salt is actually good for the soil.
Gonna be costly to spray an acre. Best to spray before brush hogging, because spraying can kill the roots.
Spray, wait for the brush to die, spray again if needed, brush hog, let dry, burn. Don't burn on a windy day, but one with enough breeze to carry the smoke away.
If you refuse to burn, just keep brush hogging it to keep it down. It will eventually rot and fertilize the soil. Again costly.
Given time and constant mowing, most all brush will eventually die. The roots need green leaves to feed them, no green leaves, eventually the roots die.
Tilling may be possible, according to how big the roots are. A tractor and box blade will pull up some of the roots. A tractor with disc or tiller can tear up roots that a walk behind tiller can't.
If you have the money, call a landscaper that does new construction. They will be masters of turning scrubby fields into lawns.
Smoke from burning will go somewhere. So even if you don't breathe it others might.
Sounds like you've received good ideas on here. Hope you find something that works.
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Burn it out
