[lovelee]

We have poison hemlock growing everywhere. We've tried mowing it, but it's not een enough to keep it under control, it keeps finding other places to grow, that we can't mow. It even stays green all winter, geesh!!

Anyway, we *really* need to get rid of this stuff. We want to get goats as well as some other animals, but as long as there is poison hemlock we can't.

Even if I was going to spray it, I don't want to give Monsanto one stinking penny...

What would you do?!

:

 

[mrs_mandolini]

I don't know specifically about poison hemlock.. but poison ivy can be controlled by cultivating, as in plowing up the area after it is mowed down. Do you have access to a plow?

 

[lovelee]

I don't know how poison ivy spreads, but with poison hemlock it's by seed, and the plant puts out TONS. Any soil that we turn up, actually sprouts poison hemlock (big time) even if it wasn't there before, so I don't think that's going to work in this case... I don't know...

 

[lovelee]

Oh, and to answer the question, I don't have a plow, but we have a tiller, however the property is wooded, so it's really hard to work in and around all the trees. We have aout 2 acres, and while alot of the hemlock is consentrated in one area, it has spread ALOT, since we got here and started digging things up!

 

[JamieCatheryn]

You could pull it with gloves on, but if there's so much of it that's not really practical is it? There's a bug called a hemlock moth whose larvae destroy the stuff and nothing else, I wonder if you could get some of those? Weed control companies sometimes will release a bunch for you, like this: http://integratedweedcontrol.com/hemlock.htm

 

[Erinz]

I'm so not a sprayer either, but for our poison oak problem (to which I am terrible allergic!) I have sprayed before and will again when I'm not pregnant. I bought an off brand of it that didn't have Monsanto's name on it anywhere but who knows really

We get poison hemlock too, but on the lower part of the property and it isn't too bad. We do try to weed wack it early enough, but last year I did notice that a few managed to go to seed. "A year of seeding means a decade of weeding" is all I could think of every time I saw it! If your biggest concern is for animals, I can tell you that we have a lot of deer and they don't touch it. Our neighbor's goat got out and didn't touch it either. Same with horses. There is some instinctive knack they have to leave it alone.

 

[99lauren]

I am planning on using this recipe for killing my Poison Ivy as soon as I see the little buggers sprout...

http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com...poisonivy.html

It's about as natural as they come, and it does say that it will kill any plant that you spray it on, so it just might work for you. I'd say it's worth a shot!

 

[ursusarctos]

I have read that pouring boiling/hot water on weeds (I would assume at the base) will kill them. Never tried it myself though.

 

[SleeplessMommy]

There is always the flamethrower method

We have used Roundup for poison ivy - I don't like to, but we have/had too much to control otherwise.

 

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Yep. There are just soem things that you have to suck it up and poison. We did it to the thickest non-removable roots (like growing out from the side of our house) of the english ivy I have almost erradicated. Honestly, if you want it done easy, cheap & quick, just buy the bottle and have hubby go do it. Make sure it's not going to rain w/in 48 hours so there is no run off. It will all be half-lifed away within a few days.

The flame method may work, but some plants actually thrive in scorched earth, especially if it's a very hardy seed...just some food for thought....

 

[FarmerCathy]

Have you tried products that are concentrated vinegar. As long as they are in the sun this will kill them. Sounds like it is something that will keep coming back. You don't want to have to keep using the poison every time seeds sprout, right?

Here is one brand, but I'm sure a nearby nursery will have something similar. http://www.groworganic.com/item_PWC2..._Oz_Spray.html

As soon as you don't have plants in your yard and get goats, the goats should keep it under control just by trampling it. You may have to still keep an eye out for it and pull it once in awhile, but it won't be anywhere near as bad as it is now.

 

[MidnightCommando]

Poison Hemlock is a biennial so if you can keep it from going to seed for a 2 years you should be good.

Here's what is in my quick-desk reference for PH control:

Cut/mow: Needs to be frequent
Hand pull : Effective (handling plants can cause dermatitis in some individuals so wear gloves)
Herbicides: PM me for a list if you decide to go that route
Biocontrol: Palearctic Moth. (Biocontrol does take a few years to become established so if this is your only method your problem will get worse before it gets better. It is also almost impossible to eradicate any plant with biocontrol alone)
Reseeding: YES (this means that a native groundcover will help complete with hemlock trying to spring back up)
Grazing: poisonous to livestock. A few studies have shown goats can eat PH without fatalities but can develop birth defects and other problems so it is not recommended
Cultivate/disk/till: effective
burning not practical

Hope this helps

 

[lovelee]

Thank you all SOOOOO much for these GREAT ideas!!

)

 

[Quirky]

How about Nature's Avenger?

http://www.naturesavenger.com/