War against sticker burs has commenced

[Clearfork51]

Depending on what kind of grass you have, msma sprayed on them will kill them. This is only for Bermuda grass areas. Will kill St Augustine

[Muskles]

Been pulling them for years. I finally have them quarantined to the driveway. I mow it last, then stop and pick them off the tires and mower deck. Put it all in a bag and into the trash.

[dustoffer]

When I was in the lawn business, one of my customers had them bad. I used a pre-emergent in the early spring, and in the summer when they were up and visible, I took a small sponge paint brush and applied herbicide directly to each plant. Only way I could even moderately control them. Have heard that dragging a piece of shag carpet behind when the burs are “ripe” and then burning the carpet is a help too.

Key to effectiveness of pre-emergents is application at the proper time-before the seeds sprout (PRE-emergents).

[Goldeneagle]

I got a weed popper. Saves an old mans back.

[Dusty Britches]

The most effective way AFTER they've shown their seed heads? This ^^^ what Golden Eagle posted. Pull them. I honestly think it works better then any other method, too, but who has time for that? I completely eradicated them from a 50x50 foot area by pulling them every day after work for a week and putting them in a feed sack.

Otherwise - you are a day late and a dollar short on this. Preemergent is the best way to inhibit their growth, but you can help out all herbicides by fertilizing your grass.

[muzzlebrake]

We have 6 acres of stickers that seem to be the only thing to grow and flourish in our mostly sand soil so mowing and bagging isn’t feasible.

Im reaching the point of burning the most concentrated areas, and spraying. We only have success pulling in the few areas where they are not currently established.

Brush burner from Harbor Freight and a 20lb bottle of propane and get after it. Burn them stickers to ashes so it kills the seed inside. Gonna take a couple or 3 years. All I ever got from using pre emergent was all the other grass got kilt.

[jnd1959]

I was on a hunting lease with one pasture specifically planted in burrs. Rancher said cattle eat them and they are good food source. I dunno about that but I left that lease the next year. Got tired of tracking them on my shoes. My easiest method of controlling them is to go out to the yard in the evening with a drink and send out strong negative vibs while talking to them in a very stern manner. I don't know if it works but I feel better.

[Tex_Cattleman]

I went Jihad on them 3 years ago, in one section of ""yard" where I want to walk barefoot. Basically, I pull every one as soon as I can tell it's a sticker weed. The weed goes in a five gallon bucket. That first year is was a real chore. Each year it has gotten better and better. This year I have only pulled about 30.

As far as mowing them before seed is viable, I tried that. They are smart little devils. They quit growing up, and began growing parallel to the ground.

[boy wonder]

I went Jihad on them 3 years ago, in one section of ""yard" where I want to walk barefoot. Basically, I pull every one as soon as I can tell it's a sticker weed. The weed goes in a five gallon bucket. That first year is was a real chore. Each year it has gotten better and better. This year I have only pulled about 30.

As far as mowing them before seed is viable, I tried that. They are smart little devils. They quit growing up, and began growing parallel to the ground.

My feelings exactly, but I’m in my first year…. I take a bucket and a sprayer with roundup, put the stickers in the bucket, then spray and repeat.

[Dusty Britches]

I was on a hunting lease with one pasture specifically planted in burrs. Rancher said cattle eat them and they are good food source. .....

Cattle do prefer them --- Until the bur develops then they avoid them. I had a bull once that accidently ate one bur. It worked its way into his cheek, where it abscessed. We had the hardest time cleaning that and treating it. We finally mixed honey and iodine and used a syringe to push it into the wound.

I make a point to buy clean hay and specifically make sure it does not have sand burs then when I feed, I unroll it over the bad areas. It has been extremely successful.