Teasel – Learn about it. Control it.

Teasel is a highly invasive plant that is taking over our roadsides.  A single Teasel plant drops over 2,000 seeds, smothering and pushing out native plants that feed and protect our wildlife and beautify our Village.  The result is an ever-spreading single-crop field of Teasel, which upsets our environment, our wildlife and our visual landscape.

Early Spring is a critical time to attack it.   Teasel rosettes are not dormant in Winter, and can be treated as soon as temperatures are above freezing.  They’re easy to spot as other plants have not leafed out yet.

This is what YOU can do to help:

1. Spray teasel rosettes with a broadleaf herbicide i.e. 2,4-D from your local home center, hardware store or garden center.  This will kill the roots.  Young rosettes can also be dug and pulled out when the soil is moist with the aid of a long dandelion wrench, but it’s important to get the entire long root out of the ground and bagged securely for disposal.

2. Cut existing teasel stalks at ground level and bag securely for disposal since they can have seeds.  Spray the remaining stalk stump with a broadleaf herbicide, otherwise it will just re-grow.

3. Plant native grasses or flowers after killing and removing teasel.  This will keep out the return of teasel.

Teasel Rosettes