WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Need Advice, Yard Weed Clearing

t&y

t&y
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
15,692
Reaction score
27,526
So my backyard is about 1/4 acre of none used dirt & weeds. This year the thorn weed (don't know if that is the actual name or just common reference) took over the whole fucking thing..... It has never done this before. You can't step anywhere in the dirt without covering the bottom of your shoes/sandals/foot with them. IT FUCKING SUCKS!

I have no idea what the best way to deal with it is. The only solution that comes to mind is scraping off the top couple inches of dirt either by rake and shovel, or tractor, or about 5 day laborers from home depot.

Idea popped into my head about getting some goats back there and letting them handle it, but I don't know if they would actually eat the things or if it would just hurt them.

Anyone have any ideas other than just burning the whole damn thing down?
 

Attachments

  • thornweed.jpg
    thornweed.jpg
    12 KB · Views: 272

$hot

To say what? :)
Joined
May 25, 2018
Messages
1,438
Reaction score
3,512
Goats will eat them right down to the ground
 

t&y

t&y
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
15,692
Reaction score
27,526
Goats will eat them right down to the ground
That's what I was thinking, but do those thorny things hurt them at all, or do they just naw the shit out of them?
 

thedan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
478
Reaction score
462
Puncture vine is another name for them. We moved in to 1/2 acre covered with them. I dug a big ass hole in the yard. Cut all plants at the root and threw in the trash (along with next years seeds!). I then raked most of the left over seeds into the hole and buried. You’ll have a problem next year too, just get them small and don’t let them flower, creating new thorns/seeds.
 

t&y

t&y
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
15,692
Reaction score
27,526
All righty then. Looks like I'll be renting some goats for a bit... lol.
 

mash on it

Beyond Hell Crew
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
5,371
A Gannon.
And then cinders.
Pack it down well.

Dan'l
 

LHC30

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
3,309
Reaction score
2,754
Call the resident bomb tech. I’m sure he has some surplus yard clearing material nearby.
 

C-2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
7,543
I have a couple of goats and they do not eat certain types of weeds and flowers. For example, Stinging Nettle was brought over by birds from the Santa Ana River bottom and during the winter it is prolific and covers large patches of our acre. It dies in late Spring. The goats do not touch it, not when the plant is green, or dead.

I also heard the plant is poisonous to sheep and goats?
 

$hot

To say what? :)
Joined
May 25, 2018
Messages
1,438
Reaction score
3,512
I have a couple of goats and they do not eat certain types of weeds and flowers. For example, Stinging Nettle was brought over by birds from the Santa Ana River bottom and during the winter it is prolific and covers large patches of our acre. It dies in late Spring. The goats do not touch it, not when the plant is green, or dead.

I also heard the plant is poisonous to sheep and goats?
Smart goats
 

JDKRXW

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
2,791
Reaction score
3,587
Round-Up......then 3 or 4 days later cut them down. If you've only got 1/4 acre, rent or buy a brush cutter (string trimmer with a circular saw blade) and go to town on it.
You need the Round Up to kill the roots and any future shoots.
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,744
Reaction score
18,409
My goats don’t eat that. Would have to be some really hungry goats
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,744
Reaction score
18,409
I paid the neighbor kid 200 bucks. These norco kids are work horses
 

77charger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
5,822
Reaction score
6,782
Those are nasty thorns not great when you unknowingly ride a bike over them.
 

Waterjunky

RDP Inmate #94
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
4,721
Reaction score
3,951
goo old puncture vine.
Several ways to get them under control. They don't like watered areas, spray them young, Those seeds are already viable for next season and spray will not hurt them. Your best approach is to pop the tap root and carefully lift out the entire plant. They generally will not grow back this late in the season. You will have a several year battle on your hands.
I have them here on my place, every time I see one I pop it out and trash it. Unfortunately the field directly across from me is totally out of control between the trees and road so I have a constant supply of seed.
 

RiverDave

In it to win it
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
123,251
Reaction score
150,683
Got any plans on growing anything in there in the near future?


Salt water..
 

thedan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
478
Reaction score
462
A Gannon.
And then cinders.
Pack it down well.

Dan'l
Baled a lot of hay in Ontario in fields infested with puncture vine. When you drive a tractor over that crap, it covers the tires and spreads the seeds(thorns) like crazy.
 

DLC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
9,862
Reaction score
14,364
Be careful if you have pets the thorns can get stuck in say dogs ears.

Round up or ground clear and spray early and often, when they are green, don’t let them go to seed like others have said
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,744
Reaction score
18,409
Be careful if you have pets the thorns can get stuck in say dogs ears.

Round up or ground clear and spray early and often, when they are green, don’t let them go to seed like others have said
Gets stuck in their paws. I was pulling them out of ludo last week when I saw him limping around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DLC

Waffles

Banned
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Messages
5,422
Reaction score
9,587
RM43

Dont buy that diluted commercialized bullshit like roundup.

Sent from my FRD-L14 using Tapatalk
 

BHC Vic

cobra performance boats
Joined
May 24, 2014
Messages
24,744
Reaction score
18,409
Do animals and kids go back there? If not spray they hell out of it. My kids play in the back and I have animals so I clear by hand.
 

liquid addiction

^ 78 DiMarco Flat
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,232
Reaction score
2,721
I got them out of nowhere last year. Never had the problem. Shitty thing is the thorns get stuck in your shoes, or tires if you drive over them and then they spread. I sprayed the RM43 last year and it really cut down on what came this year. I just sprayed them on Saturday with the same stuff. Shitty part is I read the seeds, which is the "goat head" can last up to 11 years.
And the thorns will fuk up a set of flip flops. The thorn parts sticks in the sole when you scrap the other parts off.
 
Top