Get me out of here!

Since many of you think that I am a pest, I would just like to dedicate a bit of space to give you some pointers or suggestions you should follow if you get the urge to attempt to eradicate me.

1.  Always wear long sleeves, gloves, and pants.  Cover as much exposed skin as you can!  Otherwise, my toxin, furanocoumarin, can cause some nasty burn-like rashes!  These rashes can be very painful and are intensified by sun exposure.  They usually look like blisters. --->>>

 

2.  Do not mow me after I have already produced seeds.  I am already dead.  All you are doing is prematurely spreading my seeds, so thank you for that!  If you want to successfully mow me down, do so as soon as my stalks appear in the spring.

 

3.  If you just want to remove a small patch of me, by your garden or in your yard for instance, you would be most successful to remove my plants one by one with a shovel.  Make sure that you chop me off a little below ground level, BEFORE I have produced seeds.

 

 

4.  Do not try to burn me, because even though it helps native plants compete against me, my rosettes will still develop and it will not deter my growth at all.

5.  The pesticide glyphosate (Roundup) can kill small patches of me but it will also kill any other plant in the sprayed area.  There area currently no biological methods of control.  The main insect that I am a host to, the parsnip webworm, have the ability to severely damage individual plants, but is not prevalent enough to control large areas of me.

 

6.  Usually, natural succession is the best way to get rid of me.

 

Keep these tips in mind before you attempt to remove me!  Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor. (The Hunger Games)

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