We haven't started up a lawnmower in years, since we just let a few horses, goats or sheep in our yard when we need some mowing done. Our "landscaping" is in need of some serious remodeling, and I would like to plant bushes, hedges, etc. that wouldn't be harmed too badly by a little occasional caprine pruning, and also wouldn't be toxic to goats. Also perhaps some trees that I could plant in the goat area (I can wrap the trunks in wire to protect them.) I find all kinds of lists of poisonous plants, but it's very tedious trying to cross-reference everything to find plants a goat CAN eat. Any suggestions? I live in central OR, where we have a 90 day growing season at best....and altho summer days are hot, it can freeze any night of the year. Winter weather can be slightly sub-zero.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), January 26, 2001

Answers

Hi Lenette- My experience with my goats has been that if they eat a little bit, they eat a lot! In otherwords, I'm not sure there is anything they would prune just a little bit! And they seem to especially like buds and flowers. I have never had a problem with anything poisonous - my understanding is that unless they are desperate, animals will avoid poisonous plants by instinct. But I wouldn't plant anything dangerous anyhow. As for trees, wrap them high up, since the goats, and the horses, will chew the bark if they can.

-- Dianne (willow@config.com), January 27, 2001.

I can tell you from experience that raspberries ,comfrey, dayliles (the plain orange kind, not the fancy hybrids), and to a lesser extent, liacs, can all tolerate an occasional pruning. They need to be well established beforehand, though or they'll die. If you have something that they are a little too enthusiastic about, make a very strong manure tea, with fresh manure, you could also add some cayenne pepper, and douse the plants you'd like to protect with it. There are also a lot of 'native' type plants that grow back well after being pruned by the goats, such as snowberry(I think that is what it's called, it has little white berries), and wild roses. They don't really care for some strongly flavored herbs, such as marjoram and peppermint. I'll try to think of some more.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 27, 2001.