# Eradicating Mountain Laurel?



## harvestmoonfarm (Nov 24, 2012)

For those of you with wooded areas, how do you eradicate Mountain Laurel? My goats' area has none, but we just moved our hogs yesterday and, this morning when I went out to water, I noticed a pretty big stand of ML in their new area. We would eventually like to rotate the goats through, but need to know how to eradicate this stuff safely before we can.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Roundup

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## harvestmoonfarm (Nov 24, 2012)

wannabechef said:


> Roundup
> 
> Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


No way, no how. I won't touch a product made by a company who declared Agent Orange safe, and especially not around my animals. I need a SAFE way to get rid of it...


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

It doesn't seem to be a problem for feral hogs in the Smoky Mountains. If you have Mountain laurel around I would be suprised if you didn't have Rhododendron also.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Use a chainsaw to cut it down to ground level, then haul it out.


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## harvestmoonfarm (Nov 24, 2012)

o&itw said:


> It doesn't seem to be a problem for feral hogs in the Smoky Mountains. If you have Mountain laurel around I would be suprised if you didn't have Rhododendron also.


I'm not too worried about the hogs, but I have to get rid of it before we move the goats around the property.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

harvestmoonfarm said:


> No way, no how. I won't touch a product made by a company who declared Agent Orange safe, and especially not around my animals. I need a SAFE way to get rid of it...


Better fact check that...


Round up is safe...safer than salt or vinegar and much more selective, but to each his own. So cut it down only to have it come back, or use chemistry to remove it permanently.

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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

http://www.better-lawn-care.com/vinegar-weed-killer.html


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## harvestmoonfarm (Nov 24, 2012)

I'm not debating Monsanto or their products. I need a SAFE, effective way to remove Mountain Laurel from my property. Roundup is NOT safe, and no amount of "documentation" will make me believe otherwise. I can't believe how many people have their heads buried in the sand when it comes to that product. I prefer to at least TRY to leave a somewhat healthy planet for my children, grandchildren, etc. gre:


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## BigHenTinyBrain (Apr 4, 2013)

Thank you Wannabe for providing the all important "I don't care if you don't wanna hear about it, I wanna talk about it" voice.

Some states have very restrictive laws about killing Mountain Laurel. Double check those. We always just cut it and hauled it out- chainsaw for big stuff, but big garden snippers worked good fro smaller stands.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

We used to have a wooded property with TONS of mountain laurel on it, and I don't remember it coming back once it was cut.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

harvestmoonfarm said:


> For those of you with wooded areas, how do you eradicate Mountain Laurel? My goats' area has none, but we just moved our hogs yesterday and, this morning when I went out to water, I noticed a pretty big stand of ML in their new area. We would eventually like to rotate the goats through, but need to know how to eradicate this stuff safely before we can.


Dig it up, pot it, and sell it to people that want it.


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## jmack91z28 (Jun 26, 2013)

harvestmoonfarm said:


> I'm not debating Monsanto or their products. I need a SAFE, effective way to remove Mountain Laurel from my property. Roundup is NOT safe, and no amount of "documentation" will make me believe otherwise. I can't believe how many people have their heads buried in the sand when it comes to that product. I prefer to at least TRY to leave a somewhat healthy planet for my children, grandchildren, etc. gre:


If I recall correctly round up has a half life in the soil of roughly 2 weeks, my opinion is how can something be bad for the earth if it is fully broken down in about a month? My grand dad used it his whole life(or since the product has been available), he was a cattle farmer and lived from his garden, he's 90 and in better health than the average American.

But since you're not the chemical type, which is perfectly respectable I'd agree with darren and sell it to a small nursery maybe. Send it to me this fall, I need to do some landscaping anyways .

I googled ML, it's a pretty plant, kin to the blueberry bush... I wonder if it'll work as a pollinator with blueberries?


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

Hacking them out with a grubbing hoe or a mattock is effective.... whether it is safe depends on how careful you are


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## CraterCove (Jan 24, 2011)

wannabechef said:


> Wow, talk about stupid. Would you top your frys with gasoline since its safe if used properly?
> 
> If you dump salt or vinegar into the soil it sterilizes it, kills the microbes and earthworms..not the case with roundup when used properly. So which is more toxic to the environment?
> 
> Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


:bdh: Pick your battles.


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## onebizebee (May 12, 2011)

Round up has been banned on Vancouver Island Canada. Can't even buy it there anymore at all. Due to safety of the water ways.


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## BigHenTinyBrain (Apr 4, 2013)

Okay, now it's not just Wannabe bringing the roundup convo back over and over... maybe you guys need a new thread just for that (heated) discussion.

Here in New England ML is a seriously protected plant. The flowers are absolutely beautiful in the early summer, much nicer than rhododendron IMO. If nurseries down south don't want it they may want it further north. You aren't allowed to cut it, dig it up or remove it in any way in some parts of MA, NH and VT.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

LET IT GO! We don't normally behave badly on this forum.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-mountain-laurel-31184.html


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

Ok so I am totally ignorant about plants but always willing to learn something new. Why must the ML go away if you have goats? Is it toxic to them, but not to pigs?


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Yes. It is VERY toxic to goats.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Keep the insults and stupid comments for the playground and act like responsible adults that can converse without insults.


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## jmack91z28 (Jun 26, 2013)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Yes. It is VERY toxic to goats.


I was wondering why the OP was inquiring on removing this plant. I'm guessing it's a native plant up north?


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## harvestmoonfarm (Nov 24, 2012)

I wasn't trying to start a debate - just asking a question. Thanks to those of you who gave answers I can use


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