Sand Burrs

Having trouble with sand burrs, anyone know how to control them.

boy do we ALSO have sand burrs down here in texas this year....this is such a nuisance on our property that the in-laws and such probably wont be back for a while (every cloud has a silver lining I guess!).....
The local radio expert on gardening here says that they are a grassy weed only controlled with MSMA in the spring before the pop out....we'll just have to live with em this year I guess....we just got rubber boots for everyone and are learing to live with it till springtime!!

I have heard a lot about sand burrs, but have never seen any. What are they?

They are a nuisanace weed that grows in this part of east texas,and maybe other sates also. I am not sure where to get a picture of them but they are clusters of small balls with very sharp spikes sticking out and attach to you, your pets and everything that brushes against them. They are very painful to remove, you almost need gloves to remove them from your shoe strings and whatever they attach themselves to.

<font color="purple"> They are a nuisanace weed that grows in this part of east texas </font color>

I have not-so-fond memories of these monsters from growing up in East Texas (Longview, Texarkana). They are certainly painful. Some years seemed to be worse than others.

They are also a problem in Florida -- I seem to remember licking my fingers before attempting to pull them out of my foot -- not sure if that did anything or not [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] for they still hurt my fingers.

Thanks for the information on MSMA.

Thanks also. I'll have to check out the MSMA this spring. We've got small patches that are starting to expand also. Nasty little plant.

Sand burrs are just aweful, the spawn of hell, right up there with fire ants.

I had fairly good success spraying them with Roundup in the middle of summer. Downside was all the brown patches in my bermuda grass lawn. If I had a place that was thick with them, I'd nuke it all with Roundup, then after they died, I'd burn it. Then I'd drink a frosty cold one and congratulate myself.

I don't know what MSMA is, but am curious. Is it harmless to other grasses or what's the deal?

Your statement of licking your fingers before pulling grassburrs, reminded me of when I was a kid, growing up near Ft Worth. We always went barefoot in the summer &amp; always were getting grassburrs.

Now the story. We always had about 3 dogs, but I had one old dog that would pull my grassburrs for me and he could do it without hurting. I still remember the moisture I felt as he mouthed around on that old grassburr.

Never heard anything like that before! Sounds like that old dog really earned his keep!

Paul

I'm not sure we get anything like that this far North. Sounds a little like Burdock (sp?), but I think Burdock must be much taller.

Steve

Steve, I was also thinking it sounds like burdock. We have some in our pasture that I'm always trying t get rid of. The horses always roll in it, and get the burrs all over their forelocks, manes and tails. It's miserable to get them out!!! [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

We've got some growing at the back of the pasture, but I don't recall it being short enough to step on. I suppose if it was already knocked down...

Burdock burrs are pretty hard to get off clothes and out of hair, but I haven't had any trouble getting them off my skin.

Steve

No, the burdock aka cockleburr is fairly large with hooked spikes and yes they are a b... to get out of clothes, hair etc.
The sand burr is the spawn from hell. Very small, viney and creeps. The burr itself is less than 1/2 the size of a small pea with -many- spines. You usually don't know it's there until it's too late but then you for -sure- know you've been had. I would rather get a dose of chiggers than fall in a sandburr spot.

Harry K

Paul,

they might not have made it to Michigan, but they are alive and well in SW Iowa..OUCH! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Steve

Sand Burrs grow in poor soil. Fertilize well and they will disappear. Sand Burrs cannot stand prosperity.

Otis is correct in fertilizing. I have sandburs in the pasture. I've had good luck in planting lovegrass in the patches. It smothers them out. Bob

This information should help you:

grass burs

Listen to Otis's ansewr. Fertilizing usually takes care of it. Check with your extension agent and see if he can make reccomendations for your specific area. I think it's the nitrogen they don't like. Not sure of that though. I know I put out a high nitrogen fertilizer and it really knocked them back.

Dick