I can't determine if number 3 is poison ivy, but it is definitely not poison oak or sumac. Would need an up close picture of the leaves. Number 2 is too small for me to tell, as well. I am suspicious of number 1 being poison ivy or oak, though.* None of the plants are poison sumac. That is a definite. Here is how you can tell if you have poison ivy: 1. There will be 3 leaflets on one leaf stem, continuing up the branch in sets of 3. This means that the branch will never have single leaves growing from it. (Poison sumac is different) These leaflets will NEVER occur directly across from each other, they will always be alternate. 2. The middle leaflet almost always has a longer stem than the other 2. It never has a shorter stem. 3. The leaflet's side veins (not the main vein that goes from stem to leaf tip) are alternating in pattern, never across from each other. * This is the reason I am suspicious of number 1 possibly being poison oak or ivy. 4. The base of the leaf stem will be thickened, like a celery stalk. 5. Poison ivy flowers are tiny, white or pale cream, hang in clusters. They may or may not be fragrant. They will alternate on flower stem. 6. If flowers were present, fruit may show. It will be smaller than a pea, light green when young, white when ripe, resembling a tiny peeled orange. There will be black stripes between segments on the fruit. 7. If poison ivy is injured by bugs or damaged in any way, it will exude a resin. When this resin dries, it will make pitch black spots or lines on the plant. This is an excellent way to determine if you have poison ivy or oak. Using a shovel, crush part of the stem. By the next day, you should be able to see the black resin, if it is poison ivy or oak. 8. Poison ivy does not twine around trees. It's growth is pretty much straight up. 9. Eastern Poison Ivy vines, when established (think older plant), resemble old, frayed ropes, due to their aerial roots. Western Poison Oak will not have obvious aerial roots. Stems will be strong and flexible, not wimpy. New bark is reddish brown, older bark will be a weathered gray. New leaf growth is usually red, but not always. Fall color may be vibrant or dull. You will NEVER see the following: 1. Flowers growing from the end of a stem 2. Single, large flowers 3. Flowers any color other than cream or white 4. Upright flowers 5. Fruit larger than a pea 6. Red, blue, or purple fruit 7. Leaf stalks directly across from each other on the stem 8. Sharp spines 9. A vine twining like a barber pole Here is a link that might be useful: Poison Ivy This post was edited by AuroraWA on Thu, Jul 24, 14 at 0:44

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.

Snapshot is a grandular product, which I usually spread with a hand applicator. It sells for about $100 for a 40lb. bag. In Greensboro I found it at Green Resource first and then later at Southern States. I have never seen it at the big box stores. It does not kill anything that has already germinated, so it may be too late for many weeds now. I have never used it in my trillium areas as I had already handweeded those enough so that I only have an occasional weed there. I used it in areas that were overrun with chickweed and microstegium. I even convinced the chairmen of the garden where I volunteer to buy it, and you can see "my" area has no weeds (some wild onions) and the other areas are getting over run with winter weeds. Those curators will have a busy time next month when they will need to hand weed all of that mess. There is so much that Round Up will not be an option. Nobody wants to look at piles of brown, dead vegetation!

The top one looks like cinquefoil. It's not poisonous that I know of. I've seen a lot of poison ivy, but the bottom one doesn't look like poison ivy, either