Keep undergrowth out of a wooded area

[zeke83]

How can I keep the undergrowth out of the woods around my yard? Every summer I get these weeds that grow like 3-4 feet tall. They seam to hold water, so when you walk through them you always get soaked. The woods right now is nice and open, and I would like to keep it that way all summer.

Isn't there a plant call myrtle or something that i can plant?

Thanks

[Early]

Most hardware stores carry some sort of "Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer" in a concentrated form for spraying large areas. Try it....it works!

[zeke83]

Will it hurt the trees?

[Early]

The stuff I used did not hurt the mature trees in any way. It literally wiped out dense mats of poison ivy and other herbaceous shrubs. Check all label directions before you buy/spray.

[zeke83]

Thanks Early

I did some research on round up just now. I guess it is only absorbed through the leaves of plants, and not through the soil. The stuff we can buy in the store is much different than what is sprayed on farmers crops.

[Doc]

The problem with Round-up is that it only works on plants that are already up and green. So you have to consider that when you get done spending gobs of money, you will have an understory that is brown and wilted and dead for the rest of the season (pretty ugly). Plus, as an additional bonus those things that emerge after you spray will eventually grow up to replace the ones that you killed. I'm not sure what you actually intend for that area, but if there are any aesthetic concerns, weed killers probably are not the answer.

In my case, I have a large recreation/picnic/party area over in the woods next to the main yard. Initially years ago, I cut or pulled everybit of brush, weeds and other trash kinds of plants that were growing there with a pair of long-handled nippers, and an axe. Now every year I rake the leaves off down to dirt (because of fire protection, aesthetics, and removing potential bug-homes) and when greenery starts to grow, I head in there with a weed eater and knock it all down. Because it is in the woods and is shaded, I only have to do that once or twice per summer season. Every year it gets quicker and easier to do because nothing ever gets a chance to re-seed. If this is the kind of thing that you are trying to maintain, there are no short-cuts that I know of. Maybe what you're trying to use this area for doesn't have to be that fussy ..... I don't know. But I do know that chemical solutions just leave an ugly mess of brown, withered, dying, bushes behind that seem to last the entire summer, and still the other new crap continues to sprout and grow. Not exactly what I would call attractive.

[Gthphtm]

You want to try something and not that expensive,put plenty of lime down.And do the manual labor part of what Doc said.

The chemicals are most efficent at 70 or more degrees,We are going down into the 30's tonight.

A world standard most of everything made by man is made to work it's best at 70 - 72 degrees.

[jusputtn]

Get some goats.

[nyantler]

I've been fighting this battle with the fiddle head ferns at camp for the last few years.. I just do it like Doc says.. with an added healthy dose of concentrated Roundup

[zeke83]

I have been seriously thinking about getting some goats. My sister has a few that i might have to borrow

[Gthphtm]

nyantler,last year I york raked up an area in the woods,put seed and some fertlizer down,the grass started to come up,then the ferns took over.This year I raked again and went to 2 different stores and asked how to stop the ferns from coming back,They both said put down plenty of LIME.We will find out in a month or two if it works.