How to Get Rid of Hogweed Plants

Although an impressive sight when fully grown, giant hogweed is invasive and potentially harmful. Chemicals in the sap can make the skin very sensitive to sunlight, which can lead to photodermatitis or photosensitivity. The skin may blister, turn dark, and leave scars that last a long time.

It’s important to wash the area well right away, see a doctor, and stay out of the sun for a few days if you get giant hogweed sap on your skin.

Giant Hogweed has been responsible for a number of high-profile injuries since the start of the summer break. We’re here to put your mind at ease with an easy and cheap way to get rid of it.

This weed is easy to spot because it looks like big cow parsley. It can be found in your garden or when you’re out and about, especially near rivers and other bodies of water. This plant comes back every year and can get up to 5 meters tall. It has dark green leaves and an umbrella-shaped flower head when it flowers.

Treating persistent weeds like Giant Hogweed is easy with a suitable Glyphosate-based weedkiller. This special ingredient is taken in by the leaves and spreads through the whole weed, killing it from the top down.

It is best to spray young Giant Hogweed leaves before they flower in April or May. If needed, new seedlings or any regrowth should be treated in August or September. Every spring, keep an eye on the area and treat any new seedlings that come up. Seedlings can keep growing from seeds for up to ten years.

When you treat Giant Hogweed, pick a cloudy day and always wear gloves, cover your arms and legs, closed shoes, and a face mask.

Cutting hogweed is never a good idea because the sap can burn your skin badly if it comes in contact with sunlight. If the weed gets on your skin, wash it off right away and see a doctor. For a few days, don’t put the area in the sun. Remember that dirty tools and clothes can also be dangerous, so make sure that everything is washed well after use.

Hogweed is an invasive plant that can quickly take over gardens and yards. With its huge size and ability to cause painful blisters it’s no wonder most homeowners want to get rid of hogweed as soon as it appears. While removing mature hogweed takes effort control is possible with persistence. Let’s explore the best ways to successfully eradicate hogweed for good.

Know Your Enemy: Identifying Hogweed Plants

There are several hogweed species, but the most problematic in many regions are:

  • Giant hogweed – Massive in size up to 20 feet tall with enormous leaves and flower heads. Stems have purple splotches and coarse white hairs.

  • Common hogweed – Grows up to 10 feet tall with finely hairy stems and large umbels of white flowers Leaves are deeply lobed

  • Cow parsnip – Resembles giant hogweed but only reaches 6 feet tall. Leaves are oval shaped.

All produce sap containing toxic chemicals that cause phototoxic skin reactions. Giant hogweed is the most dangerous and difficult to remove. Any hogweed can spread quickly once established.

Why Get Rid of Hogweed?

Failure to control hogweed leads to:

  • Skin burns, blistering rashes, and increased sun sensitivity from contact with sap.

  • Rapid growth and proliferation of plants, crowding out desirable species.

  • Establishment of deep root systems that are hard to fully remove.

  • Spread of seeds that leads to expanding infestations.

  • Reduced biodiversity and ecological damage.

Controlling hogweed protects property, people, native plants and animals. It also avoids legal issues since hogweed appears on noxious weed lists in many areas.

Timing Is Key for Removal

Plan hogweed removal based on the plant’s growth stages:

  • Spring – Plants emerge and form leaves, stems and flower buds.

  • Early summer – Flowering and pollination occur, setting seed.

  • Midsummer – Seeds mature and disperse while plants decline.

  • Fall – Above ground parts die back, roots prepare for winter dormancy.

For best results, remove hogweed either in spring or late fall when energy reserves are lowest. Avoid spreading seeds or disturbing nesting wildlife when scheduling removal.

Organic Hogweed Removal Methods

Controlling hogweed organically avoids herbicide toxicity concerns but requires diligence. Options include:

  • Cutting stems and flower heads – Severing stems just below ground prevents seed formation. Repeat cutting weekly through summer.

  • Digging up roots – Use a shovel, pickaxe or weed wrench to remove as much of the taproot as possible to prevent regrowth.

  • Covering plants – Smother hogweed with tarps, cardboard or mulch to block sunlight and kill leaves.

  • Livestock grazing – Goats, pigs and sheep will readily eat hogweed and help suppress growth. Fence animals into affected areas.

  • Burning – Carefully timed burns can destroy above ground hogweed if other methods fail. Seek expert guidance on controlled burning.

For best results, combine two or more methods and monitor areas for missed roots or seedlings.

Herbicide Use for Hogweed

While organic approaches are ideal, herbicide application by qualified experts is sometimes the only practical option, especially for extensive infestations.

  • Glyphosate – Applied in spring directly to leaves, this systemic herbicide translocates to the roots for more complete kill. Use special caution near water.

  • 2,4-D or triclopyr – These broadleaf-specific herbicides selectively kill hogweed without harming grasses. Avoid drift onto desired plants.

  • Imazapyr – This soil-residual herbicide stops germination of hogweed seeds. It may have long lasting impacts on planting beds.

Always read herbicide labels thoroughly and follow all safety precautions. Multiple applications are usually needed.

Hand Removal Precautions

When digging or cutting hogweed, protect yourself by:

  • Wearing waterproof gloves, long sleeves, pants, and goggles.

  • Working on overcast days when sap reactions are less severe.

  • Bathing exposed skin in soapy water immediately after contact with plants.

  • Bagging and disposing of plant debris in sealed containers, not by composting.

  • Avoiding inhaling pollen that can trigger allergies.

Share precautions with anyone assisting in removal efforts.

Control and Prevention After Removal

To prevent hogweed from returning:

  • Monitor sites weekly for new shoots or seedlings and remove immediately.

  • Plant or seed cleared areas with native groundcovers to suppress weeds.

  • Install root barriers around planting beds to block taproot penetration.

  • Clean tools, boots, tires and machinery after working in infested areas to limit spread.

  • Pull young plants in early spring before they can reproduce.

  • Mow or weed whack areas before flowers set seed.

  • Report uncontrolled hogweed patches to authorities for professional removal.

  • Educate neighbors and community groups about hogweed risks.

Diligent follow-up after initial eradication is key to successful long-term control of hogweed.

Seeking Professional Help

Extensive or mature giant hogweed infestations often require professional removal. Services include:

  • Site evaluation and risk assessment.

  • Development of customized, multi-year removal plans.

  • Expert herbicide application with appropriate safety measures.

  • Follow-up monitoring and treatment of regrowth.

  • Safe transport and disposal of hazardous plant debris.

  • Environmental protection guidance to limit herbicide and seed spread.

Licensed applicators have specialized training, protective gear and liability coverage for dealing with dangerous invasive weeds like hogweed. Seeking their assistance can save time, reduce risks and improve outcomes when faced with overwhelming infestations.

While it takes commitment to eradicate, hogweed is beatable with consistent effort. Understand the plant’s growth habits and employ organic manual removal techniques for young plants or small areas of growth. Turn to qualified professionals when mature giant hogweed is too extensive to tackle alone. Stopping viable seeds, removing taproots completely and monitoring for years after are key to ensuring hogweed stays gone for good. With a strategic approach and persistence, you can reclaim your property from this hazardous invader.

Disposing of giant hogweed

Like Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed is a controlled waste that can only be thrown away in licensed landfills with the right paperwork if it is taken off-site.

Little native hogweed, Heracleum sphondylium, is not controlled waste, but it should still be thrown away carefully so that people don’t come into contact with it. Related products.

Chemical weedkillers take the backache and hard work out of weeding.

Perennial or woody weeds produce large, deep or creeping roots that keep coming back year after year.

It can be hard to figure out which type of weedkiller (herbicide) to use because there are so many to choose from.

This video will show you when weeds can live in your garden and how to get rid of them with just a little help.

Removing an 18-foot hogweed plant, watch what happens

FAQ

What kills hogweed naturally?

Cutting at the roots The most effective method of control is to cut the plant at the root. The growing point of the plant is about 15 to 20 cm below the ground with a thick taproot at the top. From that point upwards, the plant grows its stalk and leaves. By cutting the growing point, the plant dies.

What kills common hogweed?

Plants should be sprayed with a glyphosate-based spray (Roundup ProActive, Gallup Biograde etc) when the foliage is approx. 0.5m high.

Should you kill hogweed?

Although this striking plant can be attractive in certain situations, most gardeners will want to eradicate it, as it is potentially invasive and the sap can cause severe skin burns. It is widely distributed in the wild and poses a serious risk to people who are unaware of its potential for harm.

How do you control common hogweed?

Hogweed can also be managed by strimming large patches earlier in the year and removing the cuttings (wear protective clothing when strimming). This stops the plant growing and setting seed and can help weaken the large taproots to eventually allow other plants to germinate between the individual hogweed plants.

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