The new leaves are so pretty - if this plant didn't irritate so many people, I know they would be cultivating it. It's pretty in the spring, some have leaves that gorgeous scalloped edges and then the color in the fall is fantastic. Plus the birds adore the berries. But yep, poison ivy.

Thanks guys for the information. oldtimer I'm not quitting with the composting, it just won't be a pretty compost pile like some of the photos I see in this site. If I decide to house a small goat, I have a larger dog kennel that I intend to keep it when it is not outside "working" eradicating the poison oak, poison ivy and, yes, we have poison sumac too, the goat will have to stay in the dog kennel. I will be outside to make sure the goat is safe for we have seen coyatoes walk through the yard. The goat will be borrowed just for the purpose of a safe way to get rid of the poison mess. Kimmsr, I went to fire ant control site and realized that we need to fight the ants in the fall, probably all year in North Ga area. The fire ants were here when we brought the property, which surprised me for it was a vacant hill top property, but the previous owners had a tomato garden up here. I suppose the ants could have been brought in to the area in tomato plants? Anyway, thanks guys, and I will be careful when fighting the poisons out there. I have to suit up to work in the yard, complete with long sleeves, long pants with my socks over the top of the pant legs. Plus, of course gloves. Reason: Ants love me, they seem to track me down, plus I'm sensitive to poison sumac and hubby is very sensitive to the other two. The socks pulled over the top of the pant legs is to ensure no ants crawl into my clothing. We have mean fire ants in GA.

I would definitely thin out the trees if you can. Last summer I got hit by PI really bad trying to clean up the mess along our property line from the junk my neighbor lets grow up and never trims. I kept telling him that there was poison ivy in that thicket and he just laughted at me so one day I went with clippers and rake and started cutting everything down that wss overgrown and of course I was pulling up the poison ivy runners by the handsful. I washed my hand real well and I also wore gloves but it didn't occur to me that when I was hauling all this junk over to the trash pile I was accumulating that the sap was toughing my clothing. I ended up completely covered in poison ivy blisters for over a month. Penny

leave of three for PI .. leaves of 5 for this bird spread nightmare ... lol .. that sprig can grow 5 to 10 feet this year ... its just fine in the woods ... but not going to be great.. in your garden .. ken