Sandburs

[Bob Ha]

I just finished my second cutting and got some great Coastal hay but I had to skip some fields due to sandburs. I have tried several things over the years to eliminate them. I've sprayed Prowl H2O with no results. I fertilize trying to chock out the burs with good results in some fields but I'm getting impatient. Chocking them all out will take years and $$$$.

I'm down to two more options and was wondering if anyone else has tried them and theirs results. I'm leaning to #2 but can't seem to find where to purchase it. I'm also open to suggestions!

1. Burn the fields and hope to get temperature hot enough to kill the seeds.
2. Spray Roundup WeatherMax after next years first cutting. See articles below.

Sandbur Control
Let's Get 'em Next Year

I've emailed the author of the article hoping he would help with where to purchase the WeatherMax but no response.

 

[F3506]

Subscribing. Don't know the first thing about sandbur since I've always had blackland, but I just got a new field this year that has some sandy mix patches in it that of course have sandbur coming up. I've heard of using Atrazine as a pre-emergent has limited success. The local dealer says many use Pastora for control.

Does heat from a flame really work to kill the seeds in the ground? I've never heard that, but if sandbur seed is susceptible, I might try a propane torch to selectively burn the areas showing the weed.

 

[Bob Ha]

I have Sandy loam soil so my soil conditions are perfect for Sandburs.

Only problem with Pastora is the expense.

When burning there must be enough fuel (dead vegetation) to generate high heat. I've been told you can hear the seeds pop... kinda like pop corn but not as loud????

 

[Tx Jim]

I was instructed to apply 12 oz per acre of Round-up( Glyphosate) within 3 days after hay was cut to control burrs. Sand burr isn't a correct name for them as I have them in black land.

 

[jeff9366]

Burning will do little good.

We have a community burn pile and periodically I remove the dirt accumulation.

The dirt is full of viable Sand Burrs seeds even after everything else has been reduced to charcoal.

The little barbed thing is actually a nut, there are 60 to 80 seeds within each nut.

Oh yeah!

 

[paulharvey]

I tried burning as well, sand spurs came back healthy as ever. I've been told to over lime, but haven't tried it over a long period.

 

[Bob Ha]

Thanks for all the info on burning and don't think I'll waist my time trying it. Anyone try or know where to purchase the Roundup WeatherMax? I like the when to apply, it's done within a few days after first cutting, before the Bermuda starts showing green-up. When I sprayed Prowl H2O I was guessing at when the germination period was. With WeatherMax there is no guessing.

 

[SoonerLS]

The county agent recommended Pastora for sand burrs. They're a royal PITA, because their seeds can lay dormant for up to seven years, and pretty much the only natural "predator" they have is shade, which isn't exactly plentiful in a hay field. (I know that they can't tolerate the shade because I have the little buggers between the fenceline and road where I live; my property is heavily forested, and the fenceline is the shade line.)

When I was researching them a few years ago, one site recommended cutting the grass short and hiring teenagers to drag carpet pieces over it to physically remove the seeds, plus using bonemeal as a pre-emergent. Can't say if either works, though.

 

[dacoonz]

I'm guessing that sand burr seeds have been surviving grass fires for eons. Doubt you'll have a lot of success with that option.

 

[Bigfoot62]

While it may be expensive, fertilizer is the way to eradicate them. They can't take the Nitrogen. It really won't take that long. You don't have to use a balanced fertilizer, just a high concentration of N. (ammonium sulphate, urea, etc) Even better, if you have access to chicken fertilize, that'll do it and it's cheaper.