Hogweed is a perennial umbrella plant that dies after the seeds ripen. The height of the plant reaches more than 2.5 meters under favorable conditions. You can recognize hogweed by its powerful appearance with a thick hollow stem and large leaves. If the integrity of the shoots is violated, it emits a sharp bad smell. It forms lush umbrella inflorescences that attract a huge number of bees and flies. Capable of forming seeds from 20 to 70 thousand per plant, which remain viable for 5 years. In the absence of timely control measures, it forms dense thickets within 2–3 years.
In nature, there are more than 42 species of this crop, many of which are grown for decorative purposes. The most dangerous is Sosnovsky's hogweed, which is not only capable of multiplying uncontrollably and littering the area, but also causes serious burns when the juice gets on the skin.
It is necessary to fight hogweed correctly, and for this you need to understand its preferences, with the help of which you can not only control its spread, but also completely remove it. To get rid of a single plant or its thickets, you will need endurance and patience, since this crop is very hardy and prolific. But you will have to do this on time, since over time this can develop into a very serious problem.
Hogweed grows for as many years as it takes to form seeds. If the above-ground part is removed, the hogweed will sprout new shoots, trying to bloom, growing year after year in one place. These attempts may continue for 12-15 years. If no obstacles arise, the duration of development from seed to the formation of new offspring is 2–3 years, after which the mother plant usually dies.
Seed germination lasts for five years, and under favorable storage conditions it can reach 15 years. For germination, the plant needs stratification, so lowering the temperature in winter time is a favorable factor for his further growth and development.
When seeds fall into the soil, they release specific oils, which have a depressing effect on neighboring crops, so nothing interferes with their germination. If you cut off the umbrella inflorescences, the seeds will be able to ripen and fall off even in such conditions, so this feature should be taken into account when fighting this plant. Hogweed spreads at least 4 m around, and in the presence of wind, the seeds can move within a radius of 2 km.
But there are other properties of hogweed that are its weak side, and therefore they can be used in the fight against it:
If measures are not taken in time, then soon Sosnovsky's hogweed will predominate over a large area of the site, suppressing the growth of all other crops.
Burns from Sosnowski's hogweed
Sosnovsky's hogweed poses a danger not only to the plants near it, but also to people, as it is poisonous. Its juice, when it comes into contact with the skin, increases susceptibility to ultraviolet rays, resulting in a burn and allergic reaction. But characteristic features do not always appear immediately.
In case of direct contact with the plant, immediate measures must be taken:
To avoid treating burns later, it is necessary to wear protective clothing, gloves and shoes. These precautions will help protect you from danger.
If single young plants of this weed are found on the site, you can use the spring removal of shoots by weeding and digging, but this must be done on time in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. You can use pulling young hogweed seedlings in the spring after rain.
In case of germination of last year's hogweed bushes in early spring It is recommended to dig up plants with the main growth point, which is located at a depth of 5–10 cm below the soil level, since hogweed is characterized by geotropism. If you cut off the purely above-ground part, the dormant buds on the root will begin to germinate intensively in order to have time to form seeds during the season, trying to leave offspring behind.
The most effective way to destroy hogweed plantings is to prevent it from fully blooming and forming seeds. But in this case, the removal should be carried out purely by flowers, and the umbrella should remain. This little trick will help deceive the plant so that it does not have the desire to produce new flower stalks. But all pruning operations must be carried out in protective clothing, since there is a high probability of sap getting on the skin. All cut parts must be doused with a flammable substance and burned.
Experts recommend mowing hogweed plantings at least twice during the season. The essence of using this method is to prevent the plant from forming seeds and spreading over large areas. The first time must be mowed during the formation of the tubes, that is, before flowering, and the second time - no later than 3-4 weeks after the previous one. All cut parts must be collected and burned. You cannot mow hogweed already at the seed ripening stage, as this will be useless and will only aggravate the situation.
If hogweed plantings are severely neglected, the use of herbicides cannot be avoided. But at the same time, it is worth understanding that in addition to this weed, other useful crops will not be able to fully grow on the site. The most common drugs are Roundup, Tornado, Hurricane Forte, and Groundup. Optimal period To carry out the treatment is the beginning of the growing season and again before flowering. The concentration of the working solution should be twice as high as the specified standards in the instructions for the drug. Treatment should be carried out not only by spraying sheet plates, but also allow the solution to flow down the shoots into the leaf rosette.
Hogweed is a poisonous plant that infests summer cottages and is very difficult to control. Experts tell you how to get rid of hogweed.
Hogweed is a real torment for summer residents, with which they have to fight constantly, and not always successfully. In the Moscow region, this aggressive plant has filled entire areas: according to experts, the “flower of Hercules” (as it is called for its gigantic size compared to other herbs) occupies approximately 16 thousand hectares.
The weed not only displaces from the beds cultivated plants, you can still seriously suffer from it. Bosparin juice, if it comes into contact with the skin, can cause severe burns, and they can be caused by simply touching a leaf or stem. It is especially dangerous in sunny days hot weather: Hogweed juice greatly increases ultraviolet exposure.
The insidiousness of the “flower of Hercules” also lies in the fact that the burn does not appear immediately (like from nettles), but after a few hours or even a day. In some cases, it is impossible to do without the help of doctors: there are known cases of death from hogweed.
Hogweed is a very annoying poisonous plant, which is quite difficult to deal with. Experts advise turning to specialists, but there are also traditional methods. Experienced gardeners They warn: it is better to start fighting the weed while it has not yet bloomed. There are the following ways to get rid of hogweed:
Experts warn: with all methods of combating hogweed, maximum caution must be observed. The body must be covered; it is recommended to use rubber gloves, boots, or better yet, protective suits.
At the beginning of summer it was harmful plant, from which summer residents near Moscow groan, was quite harmless - small, cute, spread-out umbrellas. Basically, it grows in the forest, but sometimes it appears in areas.
There are a lot of species of hogweed and for the most part they are quite harmless. Previously, they were even specially grown for silage - livestock feed. But hogweeds, regardless of the species, have one feature - they are very tenacious. And the most dangerous among them is Sosnovsky's hogweed.
The height of this plant, without exaggeration, can reach two-story house. In the Moscow region there were species at least three meters tall.
We asked experts how to deal with hogweed on the site.
“The only way to combat hogweed is to constantly suppress the plant by mowing,” our expert and presenter Andrei Tumanov said on Radio KP. “And you need to start mowing it in the spring to prevent it from growing, much less blooming.” There is another effective method for single plants that have been blown onto your site by a random wind. Hogweed has a two-year life cycle: the vagrant seed waits out the winter, blooms, produces seeds and dies. This is provided that it has bloomed. If it was not allowed to bloom, but was mowed down at a young age, then the hogweed will stubbornly try to reproduce again the next summer. It will come out and bloom again. Therefore, for single specimens, I recommend the following: let the hogweed gain color, carefully trim the flower clusters, leaving only one. Then wrap the remaining inflorescence with gauze or paper to prevent the seeds from spilling out. The seeds will ripen and this specimen will die. Consider that you have defeated him locally.
But this advice does not apply to thickets. If hogweed grows along a fence, you can carefully use chemicals, but so that they do not get on other plants. Carefully, on a calm day, apply herbicides (there are many sold - Roundup, Tornado, Hurricane, etc.) with a brush to the leaves and flowers. You must wear gloves and protective clothing. Do not neglect a respirator or gauze bandage. Over the next four days, try to keep children and animals away from the area with hogweed. Read the instructions carefully before use!
Whatever methods you use to combat hogweed, remember that the most dangerous of them is Sosnovsky's hogweed. Its juice contains furocoumarins. If they come into contact with the skin on a clear sunny day, they can cause serious phytophotodermatitis or, simply, chemical burns from the sun.
In cloudy weather, hogweed is quite safe. But in the clear, furocoumarins absorb sunlight, and most of its energy is transferred to chemical reactions, because of which the burn occurs.
After recovery, the skin at the burn sites darkens for a long time, almost forever, as melanin production is stimulated. If the burn was severe, scars remain.
What to do: in cloudy weather, simply wash off the hogweed juice with water. If you had to fight the plant on a clear and sunny day, try to wear thick protective clothing. Immediately cover the place where the juice gets in with anything: do not let the sun's rays touch the body. And rinse well with water.
Recently, giant hogweeds have infested our personal plots, cottage villages and surrounding cities, causing numerous problems both for vegetation and human health, causing painful burns. And it’s not easy to get rid of them, and many simply give up.
These plants belong to alien species that are natural conditions grow in the Caucasus and Central Asia, in the last century they tried to cultivate it as a fodder plant or used it as an ornamental plant in the botanical gardens of Western Europe.
Scientists usually classify three species as dangerous giant hogweeds. In the CIS countries, the most widespread are the well-known Sosnovsky's hogweed, Western and Central Europe suffers from Mantegazzi hogweed, but Persian hogweed is spreading more and more in Scandinavia and the Baltic states. With rapid growth, large sizes(up to 3.5 m), winter hardiness, resistance to pests and diseases, exceptionally high seed productivity, these newcomers are actively displacing local species, capturing more and more new territories.
It is difficult to fight them, but it is possible. First of all, you need to get rid of flowering plants. There should not be any of them on the site itself or in the surrounding area, since each plant produces tens of thousands of seeds (the record is 118 thousand) and they remain viable for 8-10 years. So you will have to be patient.
In the spring in April - May, mow down mature plants so that the use of herbicides is as effective as possible. Well, if you don’t want to use chemicals, just cut off the roots of the hogweed with a shovel 10-15 cm below the soil surface, that’s where the growth point is. Then just mow regularly. The depleted hogweed shoots will gradually disappear.
But the use of chemistry is still more effective, especially over large areas. If you do not want to leave “scorched earth” from continuous action drugs, do not use “Tirsan” and the like. It’s better to use selective ones; a lot of them have appeared recently, but top scores Of these, “Ballerina” and “Magnum” are shown, the latter being the most optimal in terms of price and quality ratio.
After treatment with chemicals, you can simply mow the area regularly. However, to prevent previously spilled seeds from germinating, it is better to dig the area to a depth of more than 10 cm, then new shoots will not appear. And sow the area with lawn grass. The formed dense turf of cereals will hinder the development of hogweed.
IN Western Europe The most effective fighters against hogweed are sheep and goats; they quickly and happily eat its juicy and sugar-rich shoots. And in terms of cost, this is the least expensive way to fight. So, if you have such animals, feel free to involve them in extermination activities.
Land without an owner becomes overgrown with weeds. This simple conclusion was made by the experts of the Agrorus exhibition-fair, which completed its work in St. Petersburg. However, neither local measures nor a short-term targeted program can eradicate the existing problem.
It is known that half a century ago, Sosnovsky's hogweed, named after the researcher of the flora of the Caucasus, was cultivated in the country as a silage plant brought from the Caucasus Mountains. According to some reports, in the late 1940s, breeder Pyotr Vavilov from the Institute of Biology of the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic convinced the leadership of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences that hogweed would help restore after the war Agriculture. Therefore, in 1947, a number of Soviet institutes began work on its selection. Back in the 80s of the twentieth century, scientists noted that the yield of hogweed in the Leningrad region reached 1528 centners per hectare.
Subsequently, it turned out that the plant easily penetrates natural ecosystems, almost completely destroying them. Only at the beginning of the new century the plant was included in the list of weeds and dangerous plants- "The Black Book of Flora" Central Russia", and since 2012 it has been excluded from selection achievements. However, it was too late - this “aggressor plant” began its victorious spread across the fields of the country and, according to various estimates, occupied approximately 30 percent, or about 60 million hectares, of farmland.
Today there are 52 species of hogweed in the world, while, according to Kirill Tkachenko, head of the introduction group useful plants and seed laboratories Botanical Garden Peter the Great Botanical Institute named after. V.L. Komarova RAS, “problems exist only with two species of this plant.”
True, destroying it uselessly, according to the expert, is irrational. This plant also has a certain potential not only as animal feed due to great content useful substances(protein, sugars, vitamins and microelements). It is actively used in folk medicine as an antibacterial and antiviral agent. According to the expert, valuable are essential oils plants, as well as honey. Cheap sugar, cellulose, and fuel can be produced from the weed.
Currently, there are many types of combating hogweed, the best of which, as experts joke, is a shovel. However, if this advice were as effective as it was concise, farmers would have much fewer problems.
“We start fighting the plant too late, when the seeds are already ripe,” explains Kirill Tkachenko. Then herbicides are used and... it is from this moment that difficulties begin, since chemicals only help for a while. At best, for several years. If the flowering time is started, the plant’s seeds will spread in any way. possible way— including using the nearest body of water. A huge number - about 20,000 per plant - of small and light seeds are carried even by a weak wind for many kilometers. As scientists say, this can happen not only in spring or summer, but also in bad weather in winter - on snow crust.
What to do to defeat the “aggressor”? According to experts, mowing or burning in this case is not as effective as chemical treatment. The simplest method is digging and plowing, as well as cutting off the inflorescences, but this requires mandatory and strict adherence to safety precautions - hogweed can cause severe skin burns. Some experts suggest breeding a “bio-weapon” against the weed – hogweed moth.
Another way is to displace the plant with other crops. For example, Jerusalem artichoke (which, by the way, is also an “aggressor”), believes Andrei Komarov, chief researcher at the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Agrophysical Research Institute”.
— Any means that we use do not work against hogweed. We need to find out the place in the ecosystem that the “aggressor” occupies and find a replacement for it,” explains the expert. However, to displace the weed, research is needed, and therefore funding, which is not currently allocated. In other words, we need “not local events, but targeted fighting“, otherwise “all funds will be wasted,” Komarov is sure.
Experts believe that only everyone can eradicate evil together. Recently, deputies near Moscow approved in the third reading a law that gives land owners the responsibility for cleaning up such a weed as Sosnovsky's hogweed. And introduces significant penalties. Now a similar document is being developed in the Leningrad region, although previously scientists have already come up with a similar initiative.
A federal target program would be a more significant solution to the problem, clarifies Olga Zhiglova, deputy head of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Rosselkhoztsentr in the Leningrad Region. It would allow not only to identify a list of necessary measures, but also the timing of their implementation, as well as the rules for using certain methods of weed control. Today, the use of chemicals, for example, is limited in children's institutions and residential buildings, and on the territory of private owners, any actions without their consent are generally prohibited.
The experience of Belarus, where some success has already been achieved in this matter, could help our country in the formation and implementation of a set of measures to combat weeds.
“You need to understand the development of a plant in order to stop it,” comments Nikolai Laman, head of the laboratory of plant growth and development of the State Scientific Institution “Institute of Experimental Botany named after. V.F. Kuprevich NAS of Belarus" - Its distribution occurs only by seeds, and if there are no seeds, there is no distribution. It is therefore important that flowering individuals are treated as emergencies at all levels. Even all soil removed from construction sites must be tested for the presence of seeds to limit their spread.
However, in one year good results The situation cannot be changed; further monitoring of the soil is needed, the expert believes. Targeted, ongoing action that is not limited by funding or program alone is therefore important.
Moreover, first “we need to understand whether we are fighting or not,” says Yuri Dyakonov, head of the representative office of JSC Firm “August” in the Moscow region, because the main thing is “to prevent future shoots of hogweed, and not just destroy what is there.”
Today, the measures taken by individual regions do not solve the problem. In general, the approach is clear - for the comprehensive destruction of the weed, according to experts, you need... 3.6 trillion rubles.
But Sosnovsky's hogweed, experts believe, is just the tip of the iceberg.
“I think that the problem is not only in two types of hogweed, there are other types of giant weeds that can spread just as aggressively,” says Dmitry Geltman, director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Botanical Institute. V. L. Komarova RAS. The situation is not at all better in Western Europe, invaded by Montegazzi hogweed, and in America - with milkweed.
The expert claims that it is impossible to create biomethods that will collectively solve the problem of Sosnovsky's hogweed in the country in two to three years. There must be a “harmful list” that unites all possible “aggressor plants”, as well as constant monitoring of their spread.
By the way
One of the St. Petersburg enterprises has developed its own method of weed control. On large land plots, where the passage of technology is possible, the company proposes to use the technology of high-frequency electromagnetic sterilization of hogweed seeds and rhizomes. According to the developers, the technology is highly effective, environmentally friendly, less expensive than herbicide treatment, and has no analogues in the world. Currently, the equipment's technological modes are being optimized.
Kirill Tkachenko, head of the group for the introduction of useful plants of the Peter the Great Botanical Garden:
The neglect of fields in the last 15-20 years has given hogweed an incredible chance to develop arable land and more. Easily propagated by seeds with their good volatility, hogweed quickly spreads along roads and enters forests and bushes. In the future, this circumstance will significantly slow down the fight against it.
Identify outbreaks
It is necessary to develop and adopt at the regional level a unified program for monitoring the spread of invasive plant species, the data of which should be entered on an interactive map. Since, first of all, it is necessary to control the foci of the spread of hogweed, and then the choice of technology to combat this species.
Let's tell everyone
Zoya Kanina, science communicator, initiator of the borshevik.tilda.ws project:
To tell Internet users how to and how not to fight hogweed, several biologists and I created a special portal borshevik.tilda.ws. All the facts there were checked by representatives of science, but we tried to describe them in a language accessible to any reader. Within the framework of the portal, a map of the plant’s distribution is compiled - anyone can add their own point.
A giant weed that has long become a real disaster for some regions. In addition to the fact that it fills vast areas, this plant is poisonous and dangerous to humans. How to deal with hogweed summer cottage and we’ll tell you more in this article.
Hogweed is a plant of the Umbelliferae family, which includes 42 species. Most plants in this family are not dangerous to humans. For example, a species such as Siberian hogweed , common in Siberia and Kazakhstan, were once eaten. Some types of hogweed were used as ornamental crops.
Sosnowsky hogweed, a poisonous and dangerous species that currently infests large areas of our country, was not previously considered as such. This plant began to be cultivated for livestock feed. The plant attracted farmers because it grows quickly and gains mass, is not destroyed by mowing, grows quite quickly and has many useful substances for animals.
However farms became less and less, and Sosnowsky hogweed continued to grow. Now it is uselessly occupying huge areas that could be used for other needs. In some countries there are programs against hogweed and government-supported projects.
Why do you need to destroy hogweed? The fight against Sosnowsky hogweed is not without reason. Firstly, it occupies large areas, displacing other plants and crops with its presence. Sometimes it also fills the cultivated areas, and it becomes real problem. In Russia, due to the vast expanses of the country, this does not seem like a disaster. However, most European countries do not have such large territories, and for them fields sown with hogweed are a real disaster.
Secondly, this weed is dangerous to human health and life. The juice of the plant contains furocoumarins. These are substances that cause sunburn if they come into contact with the skin. Burns may be quite serious. They rarely cause death, but if the juice gets on a child's skin in combination with a large affected area, it can be fatal.
When the juice of the plant comes into contact with human skin, blisters first form, which must be hidden from the sun's rays until they turn into brown spots. The spots usually go away within a few months, however, if the affected area is exposed to sunlight, the spots will reappear. a relapse may occur.
Of particular danger are repeated burns, since coumarins tend to accumulate in the body. Excess coumarins cause a disease - vitiligo, which cannot be treated.
You need to know the enemy by sight, so before we fight hogweed, let's find out how it reproduces.
This is a plant reproduces only by seeds, it does not have the ability to vegetative propagation. However, the weed can germinate from underground buds. Therefore, the best and most the right way Getting rid of hogweed is to remove the roots. This will only work if there are no seeds left in the soil.
The problem is that germination Hogweed seeds are preserved for five years. And if at least one seed germinates, one single plant can populate the entire area. Hogweed has the ability to self-pollinate, and its fertility is enormous. That is why the main task in the fight against this poisonous weed is getting rid of the seeds. And it’s best to avoid ties at all. After all, even on mown plants, seeds can ripen and germinate in the future.
The best way ensure your safety when fighting hogweed, take care of body protection. Since this weed is a dangerous competitor, you need to take care of the following things:
It is not recommended to use protective clothing made of fabric, since the juice will saturate the fabric and then burns are inevitable. When fighting hogweed, the main thing is not to do more harm. A few more tips to prevent inefficiency struggle and deterioration of the situation:
Having dealt with the safety measures, let's move on to the main question: how to deal with Sosnovsky hogweed?
Hogweed is extremely durable and a strong plant even in winter, which is not affected by insect pests or diseases. It's all biologically to blame active substances, which drive away all living beings from themselves. The weed is practically invulnerable, so the fight against it cannot be postponed until later. The first time an umbrella appears nearby, take any measures, otherwise in a few years it will be more difficult to remove it.
There are many ways to control poisonous weeds. This way but treated like chemicals, so mechanical methods and even methods of destruction using folk remedies. Let's get to know them in more detail.
Destroy hogweed Sosnovsky on small area You can trim the buds. To do this, put on rubber gloves and trim all the umbrellas and buds. This way you will get rid of hundreds of seeds. If a plant has no seeds left, it will have nothing to reproduce with. However, this method has disadvantages:
Free your summer cottage from poisonous species Hogweed can be plowed. The plot needs to be plowed in the spring. The surviving roots may begin to grow again, then plowing will have to be repeated. Autumn plowing will not make sense, since ripe the seeds will fall into the soil and will germinate next year.
If the area overgrown with weeds is small, weeding will help get rid of it. The plant is cut down below the growth point - a few centimeters below the root collar. It is necessary to weed the area every three weeks in spring and summer if you want to completely remove the thickets.
If you miss the moment and the seeds have already started, you can resort to radical measures - burning. This method requires maximum precautions:
Herbicides - chemical substances that are used to control unnecessary vegetation - will help to destroy hogweed from the site. There are several ways to get rid of poisonous weeds in your summer cottage using chemicals.
Every gardener values his land. Each of you spends a huge amount of effort aimed at fighting various weeds. But everything comes back. Lately Many areas are affected by just one type of grass. Today we will tell you how to get rid of hogweed.
Let's start with a close acquaintance. Hogweed belongs to the umbrella family. There are about 42 plant varieties. Most often found in the eastern hemisphere. The variety of hogweed includes varieties such as:
We are interested in last group. Unknowingly, many summer residents come into contact with poisonous grass. But it can be harmful to your health. To prevent this from happening, we will tell you how to get rid of hogweed on your site. A photo will help you recognize the weed and remember it.
Hogweed can be found on heavily moist soils. Most often on the banks of lakes and rivers. Throughout the entire growth period, the height varies from 20 cm to 2.5 meters. You can recognize hogweed by the following signs:
If you unknowingly touched the plant, you may experience:
If a child gets caught in a thicket of hogweed, you should immediately seek help from a hospital. Severe second-degree burns may result from contact with the plant.
Important! Upon contact, symptoms may not appear immediately. The burn may appear after two days.
Before we understand how to get rid of hogweed on the site, we will learn all the intricacies of first aid. If you have been in contact with the weed, you must do the following:
Providing first aid does not exempt you from going to the doctor. This should be done especially quickly when the plant has affected the mucous membrane. And for prevention, be sure to familiarize your children with what this poisonous weed looks like. Let's move on to our main question: how to get rid of hogweed on your site.
If you find hogweed in your garden, try to remove it in the following ways:
The root of hogweed goes deep into the ground. You won't be able to dig it up with a shovel the first time. Now you know how to get rid of hogweed.
In the fight against a plant, there are methods that are undesirable to use.
You need to get rid of the plant, but not with the following tools:
It’s worth saying more about the last point. Burning a plant is unsafe because you will ruin all the soil around it. And also during the procedure, it begins to exude essential oils with an unpleasant odor, from which you can get poisoned.
A plant that is not harvested in time will gain more strength in the new season. If you cannot independently master the procedure for getting rid of hogweed in your country house, you can turn to knowledgeable people.
Today, you can get rid of single hogweed sprouts using a special grafting. It is made into the stem of the plant. For this purpose, a special drug called “Arboricide” is used. If you need to process large area soil, then spraying is carried out with such a preparation.
Knowing all the control measures aimed at the problem of how to get rid of hogweed, hurry to defeat it.
Don’t know how to get rid of hogweed on your property using folk remedies? Then we will teach you all the secrets and rules:
Thus, we have discussed the main question - how to get rid of hogweed in a summer cottage.
Now you understand what global problem hidden in the hogweed. This plant is harmful to the health of your family and fills all available land. Not only does it reproduce without problems, but it also causes harm to others. We taught you how to get rid of hogweed. All that remains is to wish you good luck in this difficult matter.
