Goats to Control English Ivy

Q: My yard has been taken over by English ivy! What’s the good and bad about using goats or sheep to clear it out? 

A: Goats and sheep are cute and you’ll never run out of stories to tell about the time they lived at your house.

But English ivy is not their favorite food. They will eat your shrubbery before they consume the ivy. That may be protective behavior on their part, since English ivy leaves are slightly toxic.

If you can fence off your shrubbery, grazing animals may be the solution to your problem. When you’ve found a company to supply the critters, ask if you can visit a property where they have finished clearing English ivy to make sure you’re satisfied with what the animals can do.