[YoungRasher]

Hi.

I hi jacked another thread about sheep stripping the bark off tree's and learnt that rhododendron are going to be a big problem in my plan for our woodland. We have lots of it spread in between pine trees and other types that I can't identify.
My question is how do I remove it safely. I've no problem cutting it down but would the stump still be poisonous to animals. Any advise would be great. it seems such a shame when it looks so nice but needs must.

will rhodie logs be any good to sell on as fire wood?
Thanks

[Fleecewife]

I always seem to have bad news for you youngrasher    Stumps and all those little ground branches will regrow lovely young leaves which are even more appealing than tough old ones.  So you have to get rid of the roots as well.  I think it's one of those tasks that takes more than one year.
I hope someone has some better ideas than I do.  There's probably some horrible chemical herbicide/arboricide which works, and even though I don't use those things myself, if they are available I would suggest using them against wretched rhodies.

[SallyintNorth]

Some of the Forestry organisations have been waging war on rhodies, have a google and see what you can come up with.

It's incredibly invasive and incredibly robust, I'm afraid.

As a firewood, it's a lovely hard wood, so will burn if well-seasoned, yes.

On the poisoning livestock front, I think it must be mostly a problem to livestock who aren't used to it.  The stuff is all over Exmoor and so are deer, Exmoor ponies, and a lot of sheep, not to mention some wild boar.  Presumeably the indigenous animals learn to avoid it, and/or their systems adapt to it.

We have yew overhanging one of our fields, and the sheep nibble the ends of the branches.  So far as I know, none of them has been poisoned - although we do sometimes get bought-in sheep falling ill for a while when they go into that field...

[YoungRasher]

i dont mind bad news if it helps and that does. I was hoping to have pigs in the wood. Does anyone know if its poisonous to our porky friends.

[Carey boy]

Rhododendron is it poisonous?

Like on Exmoor, here in north Wales it's all over the place but so are sheep and ponies. I have seen gigs in fields with Rhododendron growing.

What will pigs do to a new/young wood?.


David

[YoungRasher]

i google it and found it to be very bad for sheep.
Rhododendrons contain a poison which, amongst other things, slows the heart and lowers blood pressure. The symptoms expressed in sheep include drooling, vomiting, pain and distress. They stagger and collapse before dying.

are you asking me what pigs would do in a wood?

[oor wullie]

Rhoddies are a major problem in some area and millions are spent every year trying to control them - there is a good arguement that garden centres should be banned from selling them.

I have never done it but I know folk that have worked in rhoddie clearing squads, the procedure is to cut them and then apply chemical (roundup perhaps) to the newly exposed stump which then goes in and kills the roots.  The area will need gone over again in future years to catch the shoots that were missed the first time.

I don't think many animals would eat them, that's part of the reason they take over - no animals will touch them.  Pigs may be a law unto themselves though.

I have heard the wood referred to as poor mans oak and it does burn well.

[Carey boy]

No I know what bears do in the wood. I know what pigs will do in a wood EAT IT.

If it on Google it must be O.K. and all the sheep farmers in Wales must be wrong

[YoungRasher]

it says sheep will normally stay away from it but in the event of snow etc they will eat it if its the only thing green in front of them. Thats when the problem starts. If it doesn't happen in wales I'll send my sheep there.

[YoungRasher]

This looks promising.

http://www.conservationpigs.co.uk/Conservation

[Deere]

Looks to me like a few days with the chainsaw followed up by some pigs are the answer to getting your wood back 

A nice heap of logs and some sausage as a by product!

[YoungRasher]

Sounds like a plan.

[cloddopper]

Cut the stems of each plant and then as soon as you have made the cut use a battery drill with a 3/4 inch auger to take out a core an inch deep then fill this reservoir with a strong Sulphamate ( Ebay ) solution .  that way yopu'll know every part is treated .

I understand it is being used as a control for them & the Chinese knot weed ( that it is now a legal obligation to report and have removed ) & horsetail . Though is not licenced as a weed killer for it is so cheap to produce , no one wants to spend their dosh on the testing.

It turns to nitrogen after about 8 to 12 weeks & is really sold as a composting activating substance .