Question about digging a trench to bury brush and poison oak.

[SnowRidge]

The oil remains an allergen in dead poison oak longest in a dry climate, shortest in a wet climate. If this stuff is on your Olympia property, you could probably roll naked in it by now without adverse consequences, other than providing "entertainment" for onlookers.

 

[flusher]

I've got about 2 acres of hillside with scatted brush and LOTS of dead poison oak... some would call it a forest!

Dealing with poison oak is risky no matter how careful I am if it means physically removing it... so hauling it off or filling a dumpster isn't a good option.

A few years ago I know a guy that hired 6 day laborers, 2 30yd dumpsters and a chipper. They did a phenomenal job clearing out his land and all of them ended up in the Hospital, two spent several days in intensive care... note, never spend a summer day running poison oak through a chipper.

What about using my Dozer to to dig out one big or several trenches and then pushing all the brush and dead poison oak into it and then covering with dirt?

The dead poison oak "Bushes" stand 4 to 5 feet on average and after several years of repeated spraying are now dead.

Maybe this is a question for Eddie?

Any problems with getting rid of brush this way? How deep does it need to be buried?

Eventually, I would like to keep a horse or two in this area and can't because of my poison oak "Groves".

I would bury the stuff.
I have a similar problem on a jobsite where I'm building a pole frame equipment shed. Got a concrete/rebar reinforced pony wall left over from an old dairy barn on the site that's in the way.

It's 16ft long, 2ft above ground and about 2ft below. Need to get rid of it. Solution: a friend with a TLB is coming by next week to dig a nice grave along side that wall and tip it into the hole. Backfill and problem solved. No need to bother with jackhammers and hauling.

 

[dfkrug]

The oil remains an allergen in dead poison oak longest in a dry climate, shortest in a wet climate.

I have lots of it here. Some of it climbs as high as 100 ft up the trees in my
forest.

I have found that the allergen is most potent in the spring when the leaves
are shiney. The dead vines seem to be non-allergenic or minimally so. What
I do is cut it manually and let it rot in place. Hedge clippers, loppers, or
something like a machete all work well. I do NOT chop it up in any way. I
do not burn it, and I do not handle it. Forget about mowing it, too. I get no
rain all summer, but plenty in the winter, so the stuff rots fast.

PO is the first plant to change to fall colors around here.....that means you
can see where it is from 50-ft away.

 

[ultrarunner]

I think that's what I'm going to do...

After 6 months without a drop of rain the dust factor, poison oak and me make doing anything out than spraying a problem.

I always find the best dozing a couple of days after a good rain. I get decent compaction and zero dust.

Some of the Poison Oak vines running up the trees are coke can size at the base... almost too large for my Loppers.

The bushy 4 to 5' tall stuff is what remains after 4 years of consistently attacking it with Bayer Finale and Roundup Quick Pro.

As far as the livestock question my concern is transfer from the horses and goats to me or my nieces... Their parents would never let them come for a visit if they caught poison oak on my watch.

Never tried digging with my D3... About how deep should I expect to be able to carve out a trench with it?

 

[Sackett2]

don't know, but I bet it will be fun to find out!

 

[EddieWalker]

Never tried digging with my D3... About how deep should I expect to be able to carve out a trench with it?

I doubt there's a limit, unless you hit rock, or run out of room. Depending on how long you are willing to make the trench, I'd guess 8 feet should be pretty doable.

Don't forget the pictures!!!!

Eddie

 

[Rowdius]

I've gone well over 10-13 feet with a D3 sized dozer. Just remember to push your spoil pile far enough away to begin with to save major trouble later as you get deeper. Safety Police tip of the day: Pay attention to the walls of the trench! If you go more than about six feet, it would be much safer to bench the sides.

And of course, put the dirt back in 1 to 2 ft lifts for the best compaction.

 

[Willl]

After 6 months without a drop of rain

This can't be the 'Olympia WA' area.

 

[Skyco]

Question about transfer from horses, goats etc.- are ya'll referring to it being ON the animals skin from them brushing up against it then getting it transferred by touch? I hadn't thought of that and I should have because I once had it all over the side of my face, I think from contact with my dog at the time
Or- Is it possible for it to be in horse sweat from eating it? I don't know if goats even sweat.... I am searching for an article I read long ago debating whether or not goat excrement carried the urushiol oil from poison ivy/oak. Not sure why that would be an issue because I personally never plan on handling any with bare hands

 

[EddieWalker]

Skyco,

The oil from the plant is what causes the reaction on our skin. Allot of the time, it will get on your clothes, and spread that way. Mostly it just gets on your skin, or on your hand, and you move it around when you sweat or scratch. Going to the bathroom in the woods can also have unexpected results two days later!!!

Animals can have the oil on their skin or fur, and if you touch it, the oil will transfer.

The life of the oil is all that matters. As long as it's in a protected environment, it will remain viable for years.

The best thing to do after coming into contact with it is to wash with soap and water. Get the oil off of your skin. It's not an instant reaction, so you do have some time to remove it before you have a reaction. Then wash your clothing. As for animals, giving them a bath with lots of soap will get rid of it, but of course, you have to keep them away from the poison oak and/or ivey.

It is not true that touching a person with poison oak will give you poison oak. The rash is the reaction to the oil, it is not contagious, or transferable. Only the oil can do this.

Everyone is suseptable to having the reaction to it. If you don't have any reaction to it today, does not mean that it won't happen tomorrow. I was imune until I was 18. I would play with it, chase people with it and totally ignore it. Of course, that's what led to my first outbreak.

Eddie