How to control sandburs !!! i've done it.

Guys, after about ten years of trial and error i and a few neighbors have mastered the art of controlling sandburs so i wanted to share my EXPERIENCE with you all. FIRST. this is being done on established bermuda grass in Oklahoma. i can only speak for bermuda pasture. I have almost eradicated my heavy infestation on my 30 acres. I will be short and to the point with my FACTS.   RULE ONE,  dont let them grow !!  if they are growing, do something with them before they get a mature seed head, spray, mow, graze, disc, burn, ect.

2.  it's still time to use some of these methods and yes they will reduce your stand. but it will also get rid of sandburs.  use prowl H2O at a rate of 1 quart per acre BUT only if rain is coming within 1 week ! better to be late with a prowl application and have rain with it. prowl will NOT work without at least some rain. i put it down in the end of march in my area if possible. you can also do a follow up 6 weeks later WITH RAIN !   if your bermuda was still dormant throw in some roundup as a tank mix for other weeds.  when prowl works you will almost not need to spray again ! that is broad leaves and grass weeds.

3.Fertilizer !  the better your stand of grass the less sandburs.

4. this will scare some of you, but it is the most important,  when they do start growing later in june / july / august, and they will, spray roundup at 12 to 16 ounces per acre on infested areas. only do this once per year and after most have germinated. i use 16 oz. of generic tomahawk per acre with surfactant on infested area's.  some use prowl later in the summer again but i dont.

5. i dont do hay, only pasture, but if you hay, use pastora.  all of these things in combo are needed to put the hurt to them.

6. MSMA works great on sandburs for bar ditches. follow the label !

7. walk your fields and spot spray with roundup if possible.

8. dont drive thru infested area's unless necessary, stop spreading the seeds. fertilize & spray infested area's last.

 

LAST.  know your sprayer and calibration. i only use flat fan tips. so when i say i use 16 oz. per acre that means 16 not 20 ! i will recommend you try test area's when doing the roundup until you get the results needed. my field will barely hurt the bermuda for a few weeks , then it comes back strong minus the burrs.  also, spraying is all about timing and temp. weeds have to be actively growing.  and i always make my brush piles for burning on top of an infested area.  but now i dont have infested area's, just some burrs here and there .   yes, it is costly and time consuming but it works for me AND others !  that's all. GOOD LUCK !!

How to control sandburs !!! i've done it.