How to Kill Goat Head Weeds
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
Known by many names, goat head thorns are a real nuisance. They can be greatly controlled with some simple practices and persistence. We’ll show you how!
#goathead #weedcontrol #puncturevine
Buy your DFJ T-Shirt, Cap, or Coffee Mug at www.dirtfarmerjay.com/shop
When we were kids, we just called them “stickers.” If you got into a patch of them while barefooted, it was a very unpleasant experience. They were also very hard on bike tires and we had to repair many a flat after an encounter with what was also known as “goat heads.”
Their botanical name is Tribulus terrestris. Even that name sounds bad! “Tribulus” refers to an ancient weapon called a caltrop. These multi-spurred weapons could inflict a lot of damage and if they were spread on the ground, one spike would always be facing up. Just like these weeds.
Whether you call them Goat Heads, Puncture Vine, Caltrop, Bullhead, or Sandbur - they all mean you need to take measures to control them. While they aren’t spread by the wind, it can still be trouble if neighboring areas have Puncture Vine infestations and the burrs are transported to your property by animals, footwear, equipment, bike, or vehicle tires.
These weeds are well adapted to grow in neglected, disturbed, or bare soils. They have a very low, mat-like profile, so they are not easy to see until they are actively growing or blooming. Because they can easily “hitch rides”, they can show up in unexpected places.
That’s not all. The seed is viable for about 7 years, and a single plant can produce up to 5,000 seeds! If that wasn’t enough, those seeds germinate throughout the summer months. So, ongoing vigilance is needed to control them.
There is some good news in all this. Before the weeds go to seed, they are relatively easy to control. Small areas can be hand-managed by pulling the small weeds before they form the thorned pods. Larger areas can be sprayed with your favorite herbicide. Simple hoeing or hard raking can do the trick as well. If an area had mature plants the season before, pre-emergent weed controls can be used.
If you were late in your control efforts, and you have sizable plants with plenty of the thorned pods on them, the best thing to do is to hand-pull them. That’s right. Using gloved hands (and wearing good work shoes, not “flip-flops”), grasp the center of the plant, where all the branches emanate from. There aren’t any thorns there. You can “peel” back the arm of the weed to reach the center. If there is a bad infestation, you’ll have overlapping weeds to contend with. Then gently but firmly lift straight up, pulling out the central tap root. The entire weed will lift away. Because the plants cover a lot of ground, you can clear a lot of ground quickly. This will be the worst of it, as subsequent encounters will take less effort. Dispose of each plant in the trash or burn barrel. DO NOT compost them. You are asking for trouble if you do!
If you find the weeds quite late in the season, when they have yellowed and the pods are falling off, pick up what you can to help eliminate the further spread of the pods. You can use carpet or rubber kneeling pads and like material to get the thorns to stick to so you can pick them up. Make a note of the area, and in the following season, you’ll really need to control any resulting infestation.
Not all controls for this pest are reactive. You can be proactive as well. Since they thrive in bare, disturbed, or neglected soil, and there is little competition from other desirable plants, you’ll need to create competition. Plantings of groundcovers or placement of deep mulches are both great ways to put the odds in your favor of controlling goat heads. They don’t do well in shade, so deprive them of sunlight!
If you’d like to know more and get even more specifics, here is a great fact sheet on Puncturevine:
digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/vi....
Don’t give up, you can push these invaders back!
JUST DO IT YOURSELF!
Instagram: / dirtfarmerj
Facebook: / dirtfarmerjay
Пікірлер: 36
Good video. It took me 3 - 4 years of hand pulling an infestation in my grave dtrieway. The trick is to get them early and don't let them get big.
@DirtFarmerJay
2 ай бұрын
You are correct. Control is much more effective when they are young plants and before they form the thorns/seedpods.
I worked for years using selective herbicides and hand pulling to get rid of the goat heads on my 1/2 acre lot. I had Bermuda and prairie grasses covering most of my lot. Then, over the past few years, we've had recurring cycles of exceptional drought which killed most of the grasses. Now the goat heads have come back with a vengeance. Problem is that I'm no longer able to physically do all the pulling and spraying I did in the past. And I can't afford to hire a professional to do it. It's really been a disheartening experience after all the work I did to get rid of them. I feel defeated.
@sharonrogers2247
3 ай бұрын
I bought a tool called Sticker Picker, best yard tool ever! I had goat heads so bad, pulled the weed and now I roll my Sticker Picker throughout the yard, the goatheads are disappearing. It’s amazing how many stickers this tool picks up.
@fernando00soccer
3 ай бұрын
@@sharonrogers2247 can you share a link to how it looks?
@americancitizen4259
19 күн бұрын
Stand up weed pullers are amazing. We have one and it's one of the best yard tools I've ever purchased.
Great tips Jay! I hate those darn things. The guy at the Bike Shop that was helping me put tuffies in my mountain bike tires to prevent future problems said he gets a ton of business from all the tire/inner tube repairs he does. He mentioned that he would give up every $ of income he’s made from all the infested tire/ inner tubes if he never had to repair another tire again if they eventually would be eradicated but he knows that won’t happen unfortunately because Its very labor intensive process and hard to do. Keep up the great work!! 😊👍🏻
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Thanks for writing and for the kind words. Best, DFJ
Moved to Nevada 15 years ago. People here told me about these goat heads. I didn't know what the hell they were talking about. One day, I was barefoot out on my patio and something went right into the middle of my heal. It brought me to my knees! I pulled it out and looked at it. Looked like a little goat head, just as they described to me. Unfortunately my neighbor behind me grows a goat head garden, so it's a constant battle just keeping them from getting a foot hold in my yard.
How do I rid puncture vines on my lawn without killing my lawn
Could I just rototill or disc the yard? Bought a house on half an acre and the whole yard is just a dead mess. Not too sure where the plants them selves are but if I buried them or turned the soil to start over would that help or make it worse?
@DirtFarmerJay
Ай бұрын
This is a long game and it will likely take multiple seasons to get the results you want and to bring the weeds under control. Weed seed is blown in every season, and what is already there is viable for several seasons. In addition, when you till, you are bringing seed up to the surface that was too deep to germinate before. If you are going to till, you could water before to soften the soil and control dust. Then after tilling, water the area well to get the weed seed to germinate. It can then be hoed, flamed, or tilled very shallowly. Then start over with whatever it is you have planned for the yard. Best, DFJ
Good morning from Southeast South Dakota
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Morning!
Thanks for this! Just bought five acres in Silver Springs NV and the property is infested. Looks like I got my work cut out for me.
@DirtFarmerJay
6 ай бұрын
You can do it! Be persistent - they are! Watch for our other videos on this subject as we demonstrate the various products and approaches to control gophers. Best, DFJ
How would these fair in a wet water compost type of situation? at least you could force them to decompose but still harvest any nutrients they created.
@DirtFarmerJay
3 ай бұрын
I don't have an authoritative response to this. I would say it's possible to compost them, but they are very tough. You would have to have them soften enough to start decomposition, as well as having the internal temperature of the compost pile "bake" them. Getting them all is the issue. Those that do sprout need need to be sprayed early to get a good kill, as the leaves develop a waxy coating that helps the plants resist herbicides. As for a wet compost, keeping the oxygen level up is key to avoid anaerobic conditions and the resulting rotting smell. To your point, If I understand correctly, wet conditions would eventually degrade the seeds, and rendering them unviable. I hope this helps! Best, DFJ
How about a video on grass burrs?
@DirtFarmerJay
8 ай бұрын
We don't struggle with those little sweethearts, so my direct experience is very limited. Anything I have to say is second-hand. I did a quick search online though, and there are several sources of good information on the growth habit and controls that are available out there. Sorry to not be of more help! Thanks for writing! Best, DFJ
Very interesting topic. Here in Minnesota we have a weed with these spiky balls that look slightly different than these but perhaps they are the same. The ones we have are covered with little pins that stick to everything including pets paws. I’m guessing treat is the same. Thanks for the video
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Thanks for writing!
My backyard is covered with these. My has putple flowers yhough and not yellow ones.
@DirtFarmerJay
3 ай бұрын
Amber, thanks for writing. Puncturevine, aka Goatheads, has a yellow flower. It's likely that your yard infestation is red stem storksbill, aka filaree. Look it up and see if the pictures match what you have. Thanks for watching and writing! Best, DFJ
I HATE THOSE WEEDS!!! I CAN'T RIDE MY BIKE ON THE STREET BECAUSE THEY PUNCH HOLES IN MY TIRES AND THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE PROBLEM IS THE NEIGHBORS ARE "VERY LAZY" PEOPLE THAT DON'T PULL THEM OUT SO THEY HAVE SPREAD ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
@DirtFarmerJay
8 ай бұрын
Well said, thanks for that. Best, DFJ
As a youngen growing up in rural town you soon learn were these little demon are we had it be nothing to see vacant lots covered with them and when you step on them boy did they hurt grandma & moms spent many a day digging them out of our feet. before epa & earth 1st wackos grandpa & dads would pour diasel & burn them.
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Ah, childhood memories....
We call them either goat heads or Texas sand burr
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Yep, whatever they are called, it's not nice.
Another really good way to kill them when they are in the young stage is pour boiling water on them. It kills the little plants d.e.a.d. dead. :)
@DirtFarmerJay
9 ай бұрын
Love it. Thanks for sharing. These kinds of conversations are why we love this medium. Best, DFJ
@marineinrecovery1282
4 ай бұрын
I'll have to try this out!!!
@karakrantz1391
4 ай бұрын
@@marineinrecovery1282 You really need to do it before they start to flower. I used to live in Eastern Oregon and they were PROLIFIC there. If you can figure out a way to pick up the "shells" too that would stop them from sprouting. :)
Accept defeat and plant a tree. They can't live in the shade.
@DirtFarmerJay
Ай бұрын
LOVE IT!