# Shade Trees



## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Our pasture does not have much shade, so I am thinking of planting at least one tree for shade. I know the goats will devour it if I just plant it, so I will probably put a tube around it until it gets bigger, then fence around the trunk. I need some suggestions for good shade trees, that are not poisonous. It is pretty dry here, but the pasture is irrigated and green. It also can get very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer-up over 100 degrees summer, and under 0 in winter. I don't really like most of the trees that tend to live around my property, they are mostly thorny (locust, Russian olive, wild roses that are practically trees); the goats like to eat them though!


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

If I really needed shade in a goat pasture, I would just put up one of those carport things that has a roof but no sides. I think in the long run it would be a lot less hassle. If you really want a tree, oaks are good. Not sure what grows well where you are...


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

For fast shade, get some hybrid poplars. You may have someone locally that sells
them, but you can also order them online. They grow pretty much anywhere,
grow fast and have big leaves for lots of shade. 

I have one behind my barn. When we moved here six years ago, it was only
5 feet tall and as big around as my thumb. Now, it is at least 20 feet high
and as big around as my thigh. NOT kidding or exaggerating. It shades the
whole barn. If you plant them out in a field, you would be better off because
they get so big, near a building isn't really a good idea. 

And once you have one (or several) they are easy to take a few whips off,
stick in a bucket of water and they root. Then you have a whole bunch of
new saplings to plant.


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## Rosesgoats (Apr 22, 2011)

Willows grow super fast too. If you have any water around, they will love it! Just take a cutting from a mature tree, stick it in a wet spot in the ground, and BAM! -- instant tree! Do watch out though, they are not super strong when they grow really big so don't have them near any buildings they can fall on.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Oh yeah, you CANNOT kill a poplar if you try from my experience...if you cut on down it will just put up a bunch of branches from the cut spot. Plus they will put out a bunch of suckers, which the goats love those kinds of things. I am thinking what I might do, is to take some cuttings from a nearby mulberry tree and plant maybe a poplar and a willow. Thanks for the suggestions!


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

I have lots of poplars around my place and they die quickly if they are in wet areas. Or, you turn the area around it's base into a manure pile. It eats the roots and the tree just falls!

They do grow really fast and the goats love to eat the leaves, twigs and bark.

My favorite shade tree is a pine. I know most people hate them (needle shedding!) but they sure make an area cool and will create a nice wind break.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

We don't have a problem with lots of water here..it's pretty dry. And I don't flood irrigate, it's with sprinklers, so it doesn't usually get too terribly wet in the pasture. I don't mind the pine needles too much. Where I live, the soil is very basic, so adding a little acid with pine needles is actually helpful! I think I'm going to have to just go to a local nursery and see what they have. But I do really like the mulberries, so I think I'm still going to take cuttings from those.


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

If you get the hybrid poplars they don't sucker like the others do. 
They will regrow from the stump, but the ones I have in the six
years I have been here have only had one sucker. 
And these take water, dry, hot, cold, whatever and it doesn't bother
them at all. 
Pines don't grow fast enough, willows don't provide the shade with
their little leaves. I wanted shade asap, since there is none in my
pasture. I will try to get a pic of that tree tomorrow.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

My in-laws at their old property planted poplars and pines side-by-side, because they knew that the poplars were fast growing, and that the pines would provide a little bit more protection. So, they would get immediate results with the poplars while the pines took their time to grow.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Cedar trees in a group make a wonderful shade and shelter area, but goats LOVE to strip the bark and will kill the trees so they do need protection or to be planted outside the fence. There are other trees in our pastures such as oak, maple, walnut, etc. with very thick bark that the goats do not bother at all. These are mature trees now, I'm sure if they were smaller the goats would have devoured them. Nothing beats the shade of trees!


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

No Cherry and NO Red Maple the ornamental variety. Toxic to both goats and equines. MY goats strip bark on every tree and it makes it difficult to plant trees for shade in their pastures for them. They have shade trees that over hang and that works. You must fence off the young trees or you will not have the the next season.


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

Yeah, I found out about the red maples AFTER I had already purchased several
to plant in the pasture. :sigh And had to cut down the wild cherries already 
there. 

I have some hawthorns out there that the goats have pretty much stripped
the bark off. Those things are tough as nails and are still alive and thriving!
I love them, not everyone does. They flower and bring bees in the spring,
provide shade in summer and in fall the birds love the berries. The goats don't
seem to care to eat the berries. 

I just use one cattle panel, bend it around each tree and put two metal T posts
inside to attach it to. That way they can't move the circle and get to the tree.
It has worked well for all the trees we've planted.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I am very sorry to disagree but my goats eat both of those frequently. 
Red maple is just a color form of maple. We always prune our yard and toss everything but azaleas - they DO make them horribly ill. But we grow over 100 of many kinds of maple seedlings each year that are red and purple and they have no problems eating the ones we do not want to keep or give away.

We also have all kinds of fruit trees in an abandoned orchard that they eat both the leaves and the fruit from with no issues. We are pruning and clearing out summer garden stuff now and they are lookin good. Here if you want fast shade you plant willows but they must have water to grow quickly. Do not plant cedar if you want to have apples and pears. They are the intermediate host for cedar/apple rust and you will have a monstrous time getting fruit without spraying. Cedars are for fence posts here  Cottonwoods? They are gorgeous and I love the sound they make when the wind blows. 
Lee


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I think you will find that most people who turn their goats out to browse have fed them cherry. It is a very nondescript shrub when young looking much like many other things that grow in the mixed deciduous forests that range all across America. Our goats have pretty much eradicated it in our wooded areas. 

The toxic plant databases also contain many normal agricultural items we consider food so their parameters for listing a particular item may not be relevant to a browsing ruminant. Goats normally do not stand at one plant and eat it to the ground if they have the option of moving on. Many of the issues that arise do so when they do overconsume one particular species concentrating some chemical in the plant that would not be harmful in normal munch and walk type eating they normally do. 
Lee


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

So cottonwoods are a safe choice? 
And I have always wondered if the hybrid forms of trees ever cause problems. I worried it might turn them toxic. I know that is probably a goofball thought...
Also was told an "expert" that willows will absolutely kill goats.


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## carlidoe (Jul 30, 2010)

I am also trying to decide what kind of trees to plant around the outside of our fenceline. I love weeping willows but want another type of fast growing tree that will thrive in my area. Nothing is thriving right now!!!!


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I am sure you understand that so called toxins are the medicinal qualities everyone touts in herbs.
The active principles are meant to be consumed in small amts. This is true of anything with goats.
Balance and moderation makes for a happy belly. Willows are 'medicinal' which means they have a component that has a particular action that in small amts has desired effects. In large amts it is has negative effects and so listed as toxic. 

That is true of many things. We have several large cottonwoods and the goats patrol for fallen leaves this time of year in drought. And yes that includes maples -3 of the so called toxic species. I am sure they have no problems mainly because it is a small part of their daily diet but they have gorged after storms on fallen branches of all of the plants that are native here. A botanist will tell you that the holly Vicki has browsed her goats on for years is toxic. Her goats will tell you otherwise  

You will need to fence your trees from your goats to have any at all so the most they would get would be drift of fallen leaves so checking on when the active components are exhausted would be good if you plan to plant something listed as toxic.
Lee


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Ok. Well, that makes sense. I know my goats eat a ton of oak leaves and the expert that told me willows would kill goats said the same thing about oaks and I KNOW that isn't the case, or none of the goats here in the post oak savannah would be alive!


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