Need Advice, Yard Weed Clearing

[t&y]

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?

 

[Sleek-Jet]

They are called "Goat Heads", at least that is what we called them.

 

[t&y]

They are called "Goat Heads", at least that is what we called them.

Ahhhh Yep.. Those little fuckers hurt.

 

[$hot]

Goats will eat them right down to the ground

 

[t&y]

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?

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Lite it on fire

 

[thedan]

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.

 

[Yellowboat]

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?

Goats actually think they are like candy.

 

[t&y]

All righty then. Looks like I'll be renting some goats for a bit... lol.

 

[buck35]

2-4 - D , mix it with Dawn dish soap and apply liberally. They will come back next season so kill them when small before flowers.

 

[Danger Dave]

Lite it on fire

Napalm, depending on how you get along with the neighbors, followed up with some Agent Orange.

 

[jeepdog]

vic to the courtesy phone

 

[mash on it]

A Gannon.
And then cinders.
Pack it down well.

Dan'l

 

[LHC30]

Call the resident bomb tech. I’m sure he has some surplus yard clearing material nearby.

 

[C-2]

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]

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

 

[$hot]

I recommend sheep though

 

[JDKRXW]

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]

My goats don’t eat that. Would have to be some really hungry goats

 

[jeepdog]

I recommend sheep though

why? less money, job performance, less attitude, feel

 

[BHC Vic]

I paid the neighbor kid 200 bucks. These norco kids are work horses

 

[BHC Vic]

why? less money, job performance, less attitude, feel

Don’t get any ideas

 

[77charger]

Those are nasty thorns not great when you unknowingly ride a bike over them.

 

[Waterjunky]

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]

Got any plans on growing anything in there in the near future?


Salt water..

 

[thedan]

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]

I recommend sheep though

Oh that’s BAaaaaaaadd.....

Come on, Say it in the sheep voice!

 

[DLC]

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]

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.

 

[$hot]

Oh that’s BAaaaaaaadd.....

Come on, Say it in the sheep voice!

 

[Waffles]

RM43

Dont buy that diluted commercialized bullshit like roundup.

Sent from my FRD-L14 using Tapatalk

 

[BHC Vic]

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]

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.