Russian thistle thrives in the dry climate of eastern Oregon and Washington and if left unchecked develops an extensive root system that competes with wheat for water and nutrients.
Poisonous plants are a major cause of economic loss to the livestock industry. Two poisonous plants common to Oregon are poison hemlock and Western water hemlock. Ingestion of either by humans or livestock typically results in death.
Poison oak plants contain a chemical that causes a severe rash. Learn how to spot a plant, safely remove, and clean your clothes, gear and skin afterward to prevent a rash.
Poisonous plants in pastures and hay pose a hazard to livestock. Learn how to identify toxic plants and what steps you can take to prevent livestock from consuming them.
Silage-making has been used to reduce the concentrations of toxins in a variety of crops. But in the case of poison hemlock, the opposite is true — making silage out of it actually increases one of its toxic alkaloids.
Q: What do you recommend for keeping weeds at bay in planting beds? We'd like to stop using Round-Up. Our beds are too big and the weeds are too numerous to be able to keep up mechanically. Would a vinegar solution be harmful to the soil?
These publications are shared to teach farmers and agriculturalists how to properly control weeds and poisonous plants and pests. Handbooks and management fact-sheets are provided as well as a list of common pasture weeds, poisonous plants, and other pests that affect pastures.