How To Get Rid Of Sandburs. This Could Take Us Years!

If you have ever stepped on a sandbur or got one stuck in your finger or had them tangled up in your shoestrings, then you know how frustrating they are. The best way to not let that happen is to completely eradicate them. And that takes time.

[@gonzalodanielperez87]

My land is only one acre, I have been fighting sandburs for years. The land here in the north of the Argentine pampas is very sandy and poor in nutrients. It is a non-native species here! Can you believe that someone with a very strange sense of humor brought it? Many people have told me that the best way is to water continuously, raise the seeds and fertilize the soil. I still can't do it......greetings!

[@DelightedAcres]

If I could find a way to make money from sand burs I’d be rich. We made no progress thinning them out this summer.

[@gonzalodanielperez87]

@@DelightedAcres 🤣 I used to pay my son a little money per extracted plant, now he has money for his first car🤣. true story

[@gonzalodanielperez87]

@@DelightedAcres Have you ever tried with sheep? Someone told me that the sheep eats everything.....

[@1enoch194]

I just bought my first acre property in Texas. What's your most effective method for removal? Only hand pulling or mowing?

[@DelightedAcres]

Hand pulling/root digging is hard work but is about as effective as anything else. Mowing with a catcher, but with an acre that would be time consuming. A lot of people treat in the spring with a pre emergent. Watering and fertilizing the land to grow a healthy yard helps choke out the sandburs, because they don’t like healthy yards. I’ve heard goats can help. Whatever you do, it’ll take time and work. Good luck to you, and congrats on your land purchase!

[@dorismatthews4416]

Necessary work for sure, John! We battle thistle plants here in Massachusetts. Don't think we have sandburs up here. Good Luck with your 7 year battle! Keep on keepin on!1

[@DelightedAcres]

Thanks, Dorris! Oh thistles. They can be pretty to look at, but they’re not to be messed with.

[@ylurt99]

I forgot to add to a comment! I pulled all the sticker weeds in a 10' by 10' spot and after the heat of summer I bought some cheap grass seed with fertilizer and water it. This year is a complete difference

[@DelightedAcres]

That’s a great idea. I’ve thought multiple times about planting more grass. Was the 10’X10’ done as a test plot?

[@Lollylobacres]

I live in Oklahoma and am trying to do my best to get rid of these devil stickers. They are so painful. It's crazy what a pain in the butt they are to get rid of.

[@DelightedAcres]

Our Jonestead, I understand. I’ve seen sprays and granules that are supposed to help, but I don’t know if they’re any good or not. Digging them at the root has a high percentage of effectiveness though. Thanks for watching! What part of Oklahoma are y’all in?

[@ylurt99]

Southwest Ok here! This is my second year using a tool that you push down around the plant, pull back, then pull it up! It's been great and I hope to finish a small portion of my yard 😅

[@pamb2734]

I have them in my yard too, I did not realize how bad until I went out with long pants and flip flops, I had stickers around the hem of my pants and they were stuck in my flips flops! Your yard looks a little greener than ours, we’re still pretty dry!

[@DelightedAcres]

Yikes! Pam, I can only envision sandburs getting in between the flops and bottom of your foot. I hurt thinking about it.

[@katbot2190]

Where did you get that blue bucket that you put the other buckets in? I have a large trash can on wheels I put my stickers in.

[@DelightedAcres]

I wish I knew. It was my mom’s. She used it for gardening purposes. When she died I started using it. 🤷🏻‍♂️ It comes in handy. Your trash can on wheels makes me think of the little cartoon of the guy following behind the parade cleaning up animal poop. 😜

[@OurOklahomaLife]

I feel your pain, I wish that's all I had to deal with we have 40 acres of nasty weeds. We are working with our local ag extension office to come up with a plan to get our 20 acres of pastures in some kind of decent shape.

[@DelightedAcres]

Too bad weeds aren’t a cash crop. You’d be set. 😉 I hope the ag ext. office can get you on the right path.

[@OurOklahomaLife]

@@DelightedAcres I'd be a rich man if they were.

[@kathystewart6091]

My poor pups are miserable with these horrible burs.

[@DelightedAcres]

Sorry about the pups, Kathy. Sandburs are no joke.

[@whatsupwithrichard]

I had some on my shoe laces last week. Must have picked them up while fishing along the river. Miserable picking those darn things out. They stuck my fingers good.

[@DelightedAcres]

Yuck! Did you at least catch some fish? I can’t stand it when they get in my laces. And I’ve had them stick in my palm in three different directions. That’s no fun pulling out.

[@suebeehandcrafts157]

I call them velcro stickers… they’re awful. I spent weeks last year digging them out… apparently not, though, because they’re back in force this year.

[@DelightedAcres]

They’re the worst. They were bad last year, dropped their seeds, and seem to be worse this year. Good luck on your quest to annihilate your sandbur population.