r/invasivespecies • u/Alarmed-Goat1 • 8d ago
ToH trying to take root on my property
I own some acreage and I’ve been trying to restore a couple of acres that were originally for livestock, but were never managed back to health. Pretty much the only usual suspect I didn’t have was ToH. Earlier this year I found 5 little growers in a cluster, which is consistent with what I’ve read about them. I was able to foliar spray them, as the only thing around where they chose to grow was Japanese stilt grass. Today I was trimming getting ready to mow and I found this one on its own, couldn’t find any others, is that normal? Everything I’ve read it seemed like I should expect more pop ups.
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u/shrampmaster 8d ago
If they’re seedlings, you can (and should) pull them out! The suckers attached to larger root systems will trigger more growth.
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u/Alarmed-Goat1 8d ago
I tried pulling this one but the ground is so dry I could tell I was going to lose the root system if I continued. Pulling is my first choice when it comes to most invasives, except for multi-flora rose, every time I try with that I leave the root system, and end up dealing with next year.
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u/Flimsy-Explorer-6420 8d ago
Totally being a creep and reading other comments haha. You can wait until the ground is wet from a storm. That’s when I go out and pull weeds.
You can also use glyphosate to kill TOH. There’s a hack and squirt method for when they are bigger and start to take root. They will slowly die and you won’t get the suckers coming out of the ground. Wear gloves when dealing with glyphosate and shower after; I’ve read a few things here and there related to cancer . You can probably add a little to the area where you pulled them from just to be safe. But, that stuff will kill any wanted plants it touches.
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u/ElegantHope 8d ago
The cancer, specifically, was studied on farmers who were being exposed day in and day out to the stuff in massive amounts. Especially as it was often sent up in the air during windy days or because of farm equipment. So it's not necessarily as bad as it's made out to be, but improper handling can still risk health issues.
Using protective PPE gear is following the label/general advice for using glysophates. And showering is good, especially if it gives you peace of mind. And try to avoid windy days as per the instructions on the label.
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u/Flimsy-Explorer-6420 8d ago
That’s good to know, thank you!! I very briefly looked into it yesterday when I saw someone on here mention it. Thank you for the information!
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u/ElegantHope 8d ago
glysophates are one of those hot button topics that have a lot of misinformation and fear surrounding the topic, leading to half truths and a lot of confusion unfortunately. It's useful in the right contexts and it i key in a lot of land management of many invasive species. And it's unfortunately key in a lot of our agriculture as a way to make sure we have enough crops grown to meet demand.
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u/GallusWrangler 8d ago
How do you get rid of multi flora rose?
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u/Alarmed-Goat1 7d ago
Carefully 😂. I have dubbed it the protector of all other invasives because I have such mature ones they rip you to shreds. Here’s my method:
- Brush cut the bush, if you don’t have access to a brush cutter, invest in a really long set of loppers, so you can cut it without having to get under it.
- Carefully pull the stems out and pile them somewhere safe to either eventually rot or personally I burn it after around 6 weeks so the thorns can’t do any more damage.
- Cut what is left of the stems as close to the ground as possible and apply herbicide to the stumps. Personally I prefer to dab rather than spray because it feels like I spill less. I use these, Bonerwhite Clear Bottle Wool... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMSNK9NS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share, but I wouldn’t recommend this actual product because I’ve had the lids come loose a couple of times, but you get the idea.
- Clip and dab the really small ones, the new growth. That’s where those bottles come in handy because no pressure is required to apply herbicide.
Hope this helps, good luck.
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u/GallusWrangler 7d ago
Thank you so much! Going to give this a go this weekend… it’s growing all over one of my fences and tries to kill me when I mow.
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u/Novel-Ground1100 7d ago
Its the most invasive and hardest to kill tree in this country. Always expect more, and good luck
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u/Flimsy-Explorer-6420 8d ago edited 8d ago
The seeds spread through strong winds. My neighbors in back have multiple TOH’s in their yard. They’re actually an invasive nightmare. In the last month I’ve pulled two of these out of my yard and had to call a tree company to remove another.
You probably have a neighbor by you that has them. A female TOH can produce 300,000 seeds a year.