Poison Hemlock Invasion

Question: Hello, I bought a property in Ashville Ohio 2.5 years ago. It sat vacant for 30 years prior to my purchase. The front of the property is developed (historic opera house and 2 more modern structures), and the back is a 3 acre lot bordered by the Little Walnut. I mow the front half but the back half I let grow (only brush hogging twice a year), since the rest of the property needed so much attention. This year as I attempted to clean up some of the back before everything bloomed, I noticed an ungodly amount of poison hemlock. There are over 200 plants. I did a lot of research… and though I despise using chemicals, I opted to buy some triclopyr because it is selective and I have several fruit trees nearby. In all the research I did, I found my only options to be this chemical route, or manual removal, which is not possible due to the number of plants and my being a very busy one woman army. Do you have any other advice for managing this plant? I did apply the chemical this evening… and will reapply in a week or two if needed. I’ll keep my animals out of that area, but I am afraid it is spreading closer and closer to their space. I have a potbelly pig, 12 chickens, and goat that live nearby, and 2 dogs that are in the house and yard… more protected. I’m also terribly allergic to poison ivy (which is also prevalent here) so I am afraid of contact dermatitis… but more afraid of animal ingestion. Thanks so much for any info/ advice.

responder: Donna  Replied May 02, 2023, 12:12 PM EDT
response: I Think you did the right thing by treating it with a selective herbicide. Yes you should keep your pets out of that area. Make sure that when you are dissing the dead plant you use protective gear ( long pants and shirt, gloves, eye covering and a hat) you can put he plants in plastic trash bags to dispose. The only reason it will return is if there are seeds in the ground. It's best to get rid of it before it flowers. Keep that in mind for next year, because you may have to tackle some other plants again. If you are removing poison ivy at the same time make sure you either dispose of the clothes you were wearing or wash them using a soap that breaks down the poison ivy oils such as Technu or even dawn dish detergent.  sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was away for a few days.

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 06, 2023, 6:06 PM EDT
response: Thanks for the reply!I checked back there today and the chemical I used barely had any affect on all these plants. I’m so frustrated. Is glycophosphate the only other option?Sent from my iPhone On May 2, 2023, at 12:12 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:﻿

responder: Jennifer Andon  Replied May 15, 2023, 10:36 AM EDT
response: Good morning, I believe the weeds are too mature for that chemistry.  Triclopyr is effective at the rosette stage or when the weed is still very young.  You may want to reach out to a professional who has more herbicides at their disposal. With chickens, I would not recommend anything containing 2,4-D as this will make the weeds more attractive to your livestock.   Your other option is glyphosate which is non-selective and it will also kill any other plant or turf that makes contact with it.  Here is a factsheet for your reference:  https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/images/weeds/Poison-Hemlock-Control_Whatcom.pdf  I would encourage you to take action before July when poison hemlock goes to seed and can make your situation even more difficult.  Please always refer the label and be sure to wear your personal protective items when making pesticide applications.  I wish you all the best with this awful weed.    Thanks.

responder: Donna  Replied May 15, 2023, 12:10 PM EDT
response: Has this been sent to the person making the inquiry or am I supposed to forward it on?Sent from my iPhone On May 15, 2023, at 10:36 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:﻿