As cool weather stunts grass, brush growth, hemlock is easier to find and kill – Bucyrus Telegraph Forum

It hasbeen nearlysix months since poison hemlock found prominence in the national news, its toxic juices ready then to wreak havoc on anything that touchedit.

The plant is still hazardous to mammals, but it's a lot smaller this time of year, according to Jason Hartschuh, Ohio State UniversityExtension agent for Crawford County.

That's why early winteris the best time to search for patches of tiny poison hemlock in fields and along the edge of trees, streams, lakes and roads.

"The nice thing about now is the grasses have gone dormant and are matted down so you can see them," Hartschuh said.

Poison hemlock is abiennial, meaning it takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. The plant is hard to identify during its first year.All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and animals.

The giant plants that grew as tall as 10 feetover the summer were 2 years old, and have all died, permanently.

BUTCHER WOES: Ohio's deer gun season poses problems for rural butcher shops, meat processing centers

The infant plants that just made it through their first year of life are in what's known as a rosette stage, and that's the plant that homeowners and land managers should seek out and eliminate before spring.

"The rosettes we see this year will become the bigger plants we see next year," Hartschuh said. "In year two it bolts and grows into a 5- or 6-foot-tall plant."

The rosettes will be about 8 inches tall this time of year.The plant is in the carrot family, as is Queen Anne's Lace, and their similarities can make them hard to differentiate.

The leaves of poison hemlock are similar to ferns, with leaflets divided into narrow sections.

Since the hazardous plant is a biennial, the rosettes that soon will celebratetheir first birthday are still alive. They act like a perennial during their first winter, and more like an annual going into their second.

"They shouldn't be affected that much by frost," Hartschuh said.

Poison hemlock is not even fully dormant over winter the rosettes on warm days are still gathering energy stores and sending them deep underground into their taproot system.

"In the spring when it bolts, it pulls all the energy out of that root system and puts it up into the plant," Hartschuh said.

WATCHDOG OR LAP DOG?: Ohio's utility regulator did more to help FirstEnergy than hamper it

That head start tothe growing season is what allows it to quickly tower above its competitors early in the spring.

"It's almost like they go from nonexistent to 5-feet-tall overnight," Hartschuh said. "It's not that fast, but it sure seems like it."

That growth spurt takes place sometime in early April. Once it begins, the poison hemlock'stoxic sap is aplenty, ready to burn the skin of any person or animal who tries to cut back the plant.

The extension agent's recommendation is to deal with the dangerous plant while it is still a rosette.

"Sometime between now and March is the ideal time to spray it," Hartschuh said. "

Nearly every type of broadleaf weed killer will eliminate poison hemlock. Since the plant is never fully dormant, that application can be done now while the plants are easy to find and access.

"You can do it on warmer days in the winterif it's about 50 and above freezing that night," Hartschuh said. "It might take a week or two to kill them off. Things move a little slower in the winter."

FAIRGROUNDS CONSTRUCTION: At Crawford County Fairgrounds, preparations begin for construction of two new buildings

Another eradication option would be to mark the plant, then return multiple times over winter and early spring to chop off the stem, either at the surface or deep under ground.

The plant's roots also could be dug upif the soil isn't frozen. Just remember, the plant is very toxic to humans.

"If you want to pull it out by hand, you should wear gloves," Hartschuh said. "If you went from pulling it with your hands to touching your eyes or eating a sandwich and your hand had some juices on it, you could probably have a reaction."

ztuggle@gannett.com

419-564-3508

Twitter: @zachtuggle

Read the rest here:

As cool weather stunts grass, brush growth, hemlock is easier to find and kill - Bucyrus Telegraph Forum