garden weeds?

[piggiemummy03x]

so i want to start putting the girls on the lawn and i’m so excited for them but theres lots of different types of weeds growing in the garden! is it safe for them to go out on this as the whole garden is covered and it would be hard to find a space without

 

[Fur & Feathers]

First two pics look like plantain which is perfectly safe for guineas. In the 3rd pic I can see ragwort which is toxic and buttercups which I believe are also unsafe. Hope that helps xx

 

[piggiemummy03x]

First two pics look like plantain which is perfectly safe for guineas. In the 3rd pic I can see ragwort which is toxic and buttercups which I believe are also unsafe. Hope that helps xx

thankyou! oh no i’m going to have to check a guide i think, what do you do to the ones that are toxic, they’re everywhere!

 

[Piggies&buns]

thankyou! oh no i’m going to have to check a guide i think, what do you do to the ones that are toxic, they’re everywhere!

You either have to avoid grass altogether or use a weed and feed product.
If you use a weed and feed product then your piggies will not be able to have access to that grass until it has been mowed 3-4 times

 

[Princess Dustmop]

If you're unsure on identification of a weed, you could go to a website that has a name the plant group; Houzz has pretty active plant forums (formerly gardenweb), or I'm sure there's Facebook groups ... Alternatively, if you don't know what it is, don't let your piggies near it.
My preferred weed removal technique is digging/pulling rather than using any treatments (with a few exceptions ...). It's what I grew up with ... every spring we'd go out and make note of where all the targeted weeds were for removal and dig them out with mum (it was not a small yard), and there were less and less of those plants each year; periodically a new weed would join the removal list. It's more work, but the biggest benefit is that you can let your piggies out on grass without waiting for chemicals to be washed/cut off or break down ... once the weeds are removed, the site is ready immediately. Also, no chemicals to deal with.

 

[Bill & Ted]

You need to dig up the ragwort (make sure you get all the roots up) as it flower profusely and will spread seed everywhere in your lawn. You can use a normal kitchen fork to hand dig out buttercup as they tend to run along the grass with fairly shallow roots. I have buttercup and all my piggies avoid them and eat round them

 

[piggiemummy03x]

You either have to avoid grass altogether or use a weed and feed product.
If you use a weed and feed product then your piggies will not be able to have access to that grass until it has been mowed 3-4 times

so can i put them out on the patches of grass that have no dangerous/poisonous weeds on, theres only a couple of areas with the poisonous ones on!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

If you're unsure on identification of a weed, you could go to a website that has a name the plant group; Houzz has pretty active plant forums (formerly gardenweb), or I'm sure there's Facebook groups ... Alternatively, if you don't know what it is, don't let your piggies near it.
My preferred weed removal technique is digging/pulling rather than using any treatments (with a few exceptions ...). It's what I grew up with ... every spring we'd go out and make note of where all the targeted weeds were for removal and dig them out with mum (it was not a small yard), and there were less and less of those plants each year; periodically a new weed would join the removal list. It's more work, but the biggest benefit is that you can let your piggies out on grass without waiting for chemicals to be washed/cut off or break down ... once the weeds are removed, the site is ready immediately. Also, no chemicals to deal with.

thankyou! yes that sounds like a good idea.. i’d be worried about the chemicals even after mowing the lawn!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

You need to dig up the ragwort (make sure you get all the roots up) as it flower profusely and will spread seed everywhere in your lawn. You can use a normal kitchen fork to hand dig out buttercup as they tend to run along the grass with fairly shallow roots. I have buttercup and all my piggies avoid them and eat round them

okay thankyou! i’ve never done gardening in my life so this is going to be interesting haha, how do you know you’ve got all the roots?

 

[piggiemummy03x]

so can i put them out on the patches of grass that have no dangerous/poisonous weeds on, theres only a couple of areas with the poisonous ones on!

i hope its not a problem as i’ve been picking and hand feeding them grass from the same garden!

 

[Bill & Ted]

so can i put them out on the patches of grass that have no dangerous/poisonous weeds on, theres only a couple of areas with the poisonous ones on!

Yes, absolutely get them out if the weather is nice, mine will be in their runs today too. use a spade to dig the ragwort then wash your hands or wear gardening gloves. It should come out cleanly but keep an eye out for any regrowth, it’s quite a tough plant

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Yes, absolutely get them out if the weather is nice, mine will be in their runs today too. use a spade to dig the ragwort then wash your hands or wear gardening gloves. It should come out cleanly but keep an eye out for any regrowth, it’s quite a tough plant

thanks so much!

 

[alpacasqueak]

There’s a guide on here to safe ones if you need it
Safe wild weeds/plants you can feed your piggies

 

[Princess Dustmop]

okay thankyou! i’ve never done gardening in my life so this is going to be interesting haha, how do you know you’ve got all the roots?

Look at the plant you've extracted and check if the roots seem to taper to natural ends or if they appear broken ... if they're broken, you don't have the whole plant; you could dig the rest up or accept that the plant may return from the remaining pieces and require another attempt at extraction.

i hope its not a problem as i’ve been picking and hand feeding them grass from the same garden!

The poisonous plants are generally toxic to consume and have no impact on plants around them, so picking nearby grass would be just fine.

Yes, absolutely get them out if the weather is nice, mine will be in their runs today too. use a spade to dig the ragwort then wash your hands or wear gardening gloves. It should come out cleanly but keep an eye out for any regrowth, it’s quite a tough plant

Gloves are a good idea if you're unfamiliar with the plants your pulling or have sensitive skin. Some plants will have sap that can be irritating if you break theplant, or you might be like me and have skin that doesn't like most fuzzy-leaved plants.

 

[piggiemummy03x]

There’s a guide on here to safe ones if you need it
Safe wild weeds/plants you can feed your piggies

fabulous thanks!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Look at the plant you've extracted and check if the roots seem to taper to natural ends or if they appear broken ... if they're broken, you don't have the whole plant; you could dig the rest up or accept that the plant may return from the remaining pieces and require another attempt at extraction.

The poisonous plants are generally toxic to consume and have no impact on plants around them, so picking nearby grass would be just fine.


Gloves are a good idea if you're unfamiliar with the plants your pulling or have sensitive skin. Some plants will have sap that can be irritating if you break theplant, or you might be like me and have skin that doesn't like most fuzzy-leaved plants.

thanks for in the info! thats great i can still put them out on the areas that have no poisonous weeds. okay yes will definitely have to get some gloves then!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I personally prefer not to use chemicals either. I have patches of buttercup in my back garden (and actually noticed some ragwort in my front garden just now so I hope that doesn’t make its way anywhere else) where my piggies and bunnies go so I just make sure to not put their enclosures on those areas and to check everywhere before I put them out.

 

[Wiebke]

I've managed to eliminate creeping buttercup from my lawn by digging out any I found every spring for several years.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I've managed to eliminate creeping buttercup from my lawn by digging out any I found every spring for several years.

Yes, use an old table folk for buttercups in the law, they generally just lift out of the lawn quite easily. It’s takes a bit of time tracking them but works better than chemicals

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, use an old table folk for buttercups in the law, they generally just lift out of the lawn quite easily. It’s takes a bit of time tracking them but works better than chemicals

They come out rather easily and there is often a cluster of offshoots. A little persistence will get you there.

 

[alpacasqueak]

thanks for in the info! thats great i can still put them out on the areas that have no poisonous weeds. okay yes will definitely have to get some gloves then!

I stuck mine on a little while ago and dug up three ragwort plants in my shared back garden after my piggy forage!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I personally prefer not to use chemicals either. I have patches of buttercup in my back garden (and actually noticed some ragwort in my front garden just now so I hope that doesn’t make its way anywhere else) where my piggies and bunnies go so I just make sure to not put their enclosures on those areas and to check everywhere before I put them out.

of corse! ill try to position it only in areas i know are 100% safe and anything I'm not sure off i’ll just try to dig up and avoid. do i need to be wary of how much safe weeds they are consuming or is it just like grass?

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I stuck mine on a little while ago and dug up three ragwort plants in my shared back garden after my piggy forage!

time to unleash my inner gardener!

 

[piggieminder]

I find an old bread knife good for digging round thicker roots of stubborn weeds. I refill the hole with a bit of soil and the grass soon grows over it.

 

[piggiemummy03x]

I find an old bread knife good for digging round thicker roots of stubborn weeds. I refill the hole with a bit of soil and the grass soon grows over it.

thanks!

 

[alpacasqueak]

of corse! ill try to position it only in areas i know are 100% safe and anything I'm not sure off i’ll just try to dig up and avoid. do i need to be wary of how much safe weeds they are consuming or is it just like grass?

Sorry I just spotted that question above!
You’ll need to treat fresh forage/weeds like veggies really, introduce them gradually and in small amounts etc to get little tums used to them etc

 

[piggiemummy03x]

Sorry I just spotted that question above!
You’ll need to treat fresh forage/weeds like veggies really, introduce them gradually and in small amounts etc to get little tums used to them etc

right i see! this is going to be hard, there absolutely everywhere!

 

[piggiemummy03x]

hi everyone, sorry to jump back on this post i just really need some advice. so the garden the pigs have access too is absolutely covered in all sorts and i’m getting quite overwhelmed trying to identify them and check if they are poisonous.. the list i’ve found stating poisonous plants and weeds is absolutely huge so i’m so afraid of misidentification and the possibility of them having access to things they shouldn’t have, if they where to eat something on this list, would it be deadly or more just tummy upset? i’m trying to only put the run in areas with the least things growing however as i’ve said it’s basically impossible, i’m pulling / digging up as much as i can but still worry. also i’ve noticed the whole lawn seems to be covered in a layer of moss, is this something i should be concerned about?

 

[Piggies&buns]

hi everyone, sorry to jump back on this post i just really need some advice. so the garden the pigs have access too is absolutely covered in all sorts and i’m getting quite overwhelmed trying to identify them and check if they are poisonous.. the list i’ve found stating poisonous plants and weeds is absolutely huge so i’m so afraid of misidentification and the possibility of them having access to things they shouldn’t have, if they where to eat something on this list, would it be deadly or more just tummy upset? i’m trying to only put the run in areas with the least things growing however as i’ve said it’s basically impossible, i’m pulling / digging up as much as i can but still worry. also i’ve noticed the whole lawn seems to be covered in a layer of moss, is this something i should be concerned about?

Please don’t ever be sorry for posting. This is your thread and you can ask questions on it whenever you want!

It depends what weed it is and how much they eat - a little of something poisonous may cause a tummy upset but eat a lot and it could have more serious consequences. Equally some things are toxic and much more harmful in much smaller quantities.
Moss is harmful (although I believe it doesn’t taste nice and a lot will avoid it), you also don’t want them eating celandine, buttercup, daisies (although I think one or two daisies isnt too bad but you don’t want them eating a lot of them so best avoided) - to name just a couple of the harmful common lawn weeds

 

[Engel]

It's difficult isn't it. Do you have space inside for them to stretch their legs? Mine can't go on the lawn mostly because we have many birds of prey visiting the garden (mostly buzzards and red kites) so I go out with a bowl and scissors and cut grass and bring it in for the pigs. You could plant some cat grass in trays for your pigs. That way then you won't have to worry about what's in it