How To: Banish Burdock

Let’s banish burdock together!

Here at SSIC, we are on a mission to banish burdock from Whistler, and we’ve noticed that you are too!

To make sure your efforts to remove this invasive species are as effective as possible, we’ve created a guide for proper common burdock removal. Let’s dig into it! (Yes, that’s a burdock removal pun. Don’t be prickly about it!)

So, you’ve found a patch of burdock and you’re itching to banish it!

Let’s cover the removal process, step-by-step. These recommendations are ‘rooted’ in best management practices.

1. Cut the flowering stems before digging up the rest of the plant.

Is the burdock plant flowering? Then it’s best to deadhead the plant before proceeding any further.

What is deadheading?

Deadheading is the practice of removing flower heads from plants.

Why should we deadhead?

Deadheading is done for two reasons:

1. Preventing seed spread: If you disturb the plant while it’s flowering or seeding, you risk scattering seeds around the site, undoing your removal efforts and potentially spreading the burdock even farther.
2. Making root removal easier: Tall flowering stalks can get in the way when you are trying to dig up the roots– removing them first makes the process a lot easier!

In fact, if you do not have time to dig up entire burdock plants (we get it: the sun is shining, you got places to be), then even just deadheading burdock can make a huge difference in reducing the spread. 

How to deadhead?

To deadhead, all that you need is a good pair of hand-pruners, or loppers (if the burdock stem is very sturdy), and a bag or tarp to collect your plant material.

1. Cut only the flowering stems, not the whole plant! Leave the rest of the leaves in place, as they will help you identify the burdock plants when you are ready to dig them out.
2. Contain the deadheaded stems in a bag, or wrap them tightly in a tarp. This will prevent the seeds from scattering into the environment.

But hold on, you’re not done with burdock removal yet! Let’s continue to step 2 of proper burdock removal.

2. Dig up the taproot.

Now that any flowers and seeds have been removed, it is safe to proceed to removing the taproot. To successfully eradicate burdock, the entire taproot needs to be removed. This is because:

1. Burdock is a perennial plant with a deep, energy-packed taproot: The root stores large reserves of carbohydrates, and if any significant chunk is left in the soil, it can sprout new shoots and re-establish itself.
2. Partial removal doesn’t kill the taproot: It needs to be entirely removed to ensure it doesn’t re-establish.
3. Full removal decreases chances of return: Full taproot removal is the most reliable single-step control method for eradicating burdock. Just make sure the plant is deadheaded before you get to this step!

This is why simply mowing or cutting burdock plants is futile; the taproot is left intact and is likely to re-sprout.

It’s important to note that the taproot is long-– it can grow up to 1m in depth! Make sure to really check that you’ve got it all.

3. Do not leave any plants on site.

After you’ve successfully deadheaded the burdock plant and removed the taproot, you should never leave any plant material behind at the site. This is because:

1. There is potential for regrowth: If the taproot is reburied before drying out and dying, it can put out new shoots, especially if left in a moist environment.
2. Decaying plant material has allelopathic effects: Large decomposing burdock leaves prevent other plants from germinating due to allelopathic effects.
3. Risk of seed spread: If the flowering stem or burrs are attached to the uprooted plant, you’re leaving a ready-made seed source on site, contributing to the spread of burdock (the exact opposite of what you intended to do!)

So, how should you properly dispose of burdock plants? Let’s talk about it next.

4. Bag all plant material and dispose of it in the garbage.

Bag all burdock plants in a secure bag and dispose in the garbage, not the compost. This is important because:

1. Burdock seeds can survive some composting conditions. The invasive can spread further, making this is an unreliable method of eradicating the species.
2. Garbage disposal is a containment strategy. Any surviving burdock plants or fragments are kept out of the ecosystem, making sure all your hard removal work was worthwhile!

If you are interested in learning more about proper disposal practices, click here.

… And that’s it! Congratulations, you have successfully removed a burdock plant and helped protect biodiversity in the Sea to Sky region.

If you have any questions about how SSISC manages invasive species, visit our Invasive Plant Management page or contact us!

Learn more:

• Banish Burdock
• Common Burdock Species Profile Page
• Invasive Plant Management
• How to Dispose of Invasive Plant Material