Sandspur eradication

[squawberryman]

It's dark right now and I'll post a picture later. We live in Central Florida, rural. I used to not have sandspurs, now you CANNOT go out in the yard with no shoes. The soil is sandy and we have bahia grass. Does anyone know definitively how to eradicate sandspurs? Don't say flame thrower or Round Up. Please don't read me the side of a bag of Scott's weed and feed. Is anyone a horticulturist? Does anyone have any real world experience getting rid of them other than a flamethrower?

[bigbore5]

I grew up in Central Florida. Short answer is probably not without killing the Bahia grass too.

To keep the spurs down, try mowing shorter. 3" seems to keep the weed from producing spurs if I remember correctly. Also dethatch your yard regularly. That helped too.

A bagger on the mower also kept from spreading the spurs. Eventually they die off

[squawberryman]

Five acres BB, not baggin'. Thank you sir.

[rkrcpa]

One of the skills learned as a child was how to remove sandspurs from a dog's paw. They are just one of the reasons that, to this day, I do not go barefoot.

[x101airborne]

Gonna be really tough since you have Bahia grass for a yard. If you had Coastal Bermuda or St. Augustine that dont rely on seed production to reproduce There is a chemical powder you can buy and also a spray that work pretty well. I have had a private chemical applicators license for 12 years and we fight them all the time as well. You would have to have your own license or find a "buddy" that has one that can buy the chemicals for you. But be warned, these chemicals will set Bahia back. These chemicals are ground seed inoculants. The chemicals keep the seeds from ever fully germinating so they never grow. Has to be reapplied every 6 months for effective control. You can get more information at feed stores that sell agricultural chemicals.

Weed and feed dont do squat for burrs.

[squawberryman]

Trey gimme the name please, I've got resources sir. There's a funny part to this story. Over 10 years ago a gentleman came out to my property one day and put two dump truckloads of dolomite down on my grass and I didn't have a single sandapur for 10 years. But any reading that you do says if you raise the pH of the soil that it does not negatively affect sand spurs. All I can tell you is that I never had any sand spurs and now I'm covered up. He did that and never told me to pay him anything but I know I could not afford to do that in today's pricing.

[x101airborne]

I will have to call my feed store and get the names. I am 115 miles away from my spray book / records.

[squawberryman]

Chop chop!

[hunter966]

There’s a granule called Pastora, we use it in out pastures and in my yard, not only does it knock out sand-burrs but Johnson grass as well.

Doesn’t hurt Bermuda grass but I’d check and see about Bahia grass.

[Deleted]

MSMA was great product for sand burrs but it kills Bahia

[bushog]

Ya just need to sell me that Clements bearcat and buy everybody more shoes…..

[gnappi]

Bigbore got it right. In my south Florida backyard I just roto tilled everything in the ground, laid over 2 feet of tree chipping / mulch down and planted fruit trees.

Never had the problem in the front yard.

[x101airborne]

Oct 14, 2023 11:32:03 GMT -5 hunter966 said:

There’s a granule called Pastora, we use it in out pastures and in my yard, not only does it knock out sand-burrs but Johnson grass as well.

Doesn’t hurt Bermuda grass but I’d check and see about Bahia grass.

Thats it. Pastora.

[squawberryman]

Thanks fellas. Greg you just sold a Clements, I couldn't do that to you. I care.

[x101airborne]

Another chemical is called "Balan". That is one I have used with success.