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Weed Control

Grey County's weed management program provides safe sightlines along County Roads and controls noxious and invasive plan species on our roadsides. 

Contact the Weed Inspector

The Grey County Weed Inspector can be contacted at 1 548-877-0884.

 

In general terms the definition of noxious is: Harmful to living things; injurious to health. In Ontario, 25 weeds are considered noxious under the Weed Control Act. A list of these 25 noxious weeds can be found on the Weed Control Act home page; Noxious Weeds in Ontario.

Grey County and local Municipalities have developed a proactive approach for the management and control of noxious weeds. It follows the Integrated Pest Management decision making process to manage pests from reaching damaging levels and for determining what actions to take when pest problems occur. For the last several years Grey County and local Municipalities have been identifying, mapping and updating Wild Chervil locations across the region, assisted authorities with field research and continued to control their right-of-way by mowing infested areas.

Owners and occupiers of land, municipal, rural and urban, are reminded that it is their responsibility to control all declared noxious weeds under the Noxious Weeds Act. Failure to do so leaves owners and occupiers liable for considerable fines. The aim of weed control is to deplete weed seed reserves and prevent further replenishment of the seed store by preventing growth of the weed.

Wild Chervil is an aggressive invasive weed that will smother out other vegetation and dramatically affect crop yields. It is a Biennial plant that will start to grow and flower in May and by early June can already be producing seed.

If Wild Chervil gets established it dramatically reduces crop yields, which has a significant impact on our local economy.  The only way to limit or slow the spread of the weed is to prevent it from going to seed.  Now is the time to cut it, preferably before it flowers.

Control and Disposal of Wild Chervil

Since Wild Chervil relies on seed to reproduce, weekly mowing is necessary to keep the plant from flowering. These plants are not toxic to touch and it is recommended to pull or dig out the tap roots if possible. If the plants have matured and are coming out in flower the plant is ready to go to seed, cut them as low to the ground as possible and place them in a clear plastic garbage bag so that the seeds won’t spread and leave it in the sun. Once the plants have dried up and died they can be incinerated.

Giant Hogweed is a toxic noxious weed that can cause serious health hazards. Its clear watery sap can cause severe dermatitis and burning of the skin and has known to blind a person if there is contact with the eyes. These plants have been known to grow over 6 feet tall and have a large flower heads that produce thousands of seeds.

Giant Hogweed plant and photo of an arm with sores from noxious plant.

Giant Hogweed produces a clear watery sap from the leaves and especially from the stem.  If the sap comes into contact with your skin it may cause severe blistering, burns and sometimes inflamed lesions.  Removal of the weed should only be performed by those who have been trained in proper removal and disposal procedures.

Giant Hogweed produces a clear watery sap from the leaves and especially from the stem.  If the sap comes into contact with your skin it may cause severe blistering, burns and sometimes inflamed lesions.  Removal of the weed should only be performed by those who have been trained in proper removal and disposal procedures.

Grey County

Situated two hours north of Toronto, Grey County offers beauty you can’t get in the city.

  • 595 9th Ave East Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 3E3
  • (519) 376-2205 | 1-800-567-4739