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 Post subject: Grass burs (ouch)
PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:40 pm 
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Location: Dallas,TEXAS
We just moved into an established neighborhood in Lake Highlands.
Apparently the couple who owned the house before us did nothing to maintain it (chemically or otherwise) so now that the lawns are greening up I can see what a mess we're going to have to deal with.

In the backyard, facing North, we have mostly St. Augustine bit I also notice a nice collevtion of other weeds including grass burs. I had applied a good application of Texas Tee just prior to the flooding a few weeks back so now the weeds are loving it.

What can I do, preferably organic, to get rid of the burs and hopefully some of the other weeds as well (although I can live with regualr weeds if I have to).

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 Post subject: Grass burr BEST SOLUTION
PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:06 pm 
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Location: Wichita Falls,TEXAS
You are not going to like my answer. The first spring after our new home was built I found those nasty weeds at the rear of our property. Every day I trudged out with a paper sack stuffed inside a plastic 5 gal container and an old butter knife. Sometimes I would fill 5 to 8 grocery sacks in the early evening 4 to 7 days a week. Next spring the corn gluten meal was used and has been ever since. In the last 5 years I have collected only 2 to 3 sacks all year long. It takes a little work but can be less of a chore if you think pleasing thoughts in the process. For me it was a good way to talk to my lord. Sorry, but good old elbow grease with the help of corn gluten meal really works.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:18 am 
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The explained in the Library is the answer. It works very well and quickly in most situations.


Grass Burrs


Chemicals will make this problem worse. Corn gluten meal and dry molasses are the best tools for controlling grass burs. These and all other organic fertilizers build organic matter in the soil and with that comes humic acid which when present shuts down the germination of noxious anuual weed seed like grass burs.

Grass burrs are present on your site for one reason and one reason only - you have sandy, infertile soil. Improve the health of the soil and the grass burrs and other pioneer plants will vanish. Leonardite and other humate products will also help.

Sand burrs, grass burrs, sand spurs and stickers are all the same noxious annual weed. Yes, molasses will help, corn gluten meal put out in the spring before the seed germinate will work even better to control this plant but anything that builds the organic matter in the soil will do the trick.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:34 pm 
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If, in the mean time, you want to pick up as many of the burrs as possible, get a piece of old carpet or some knit fabric and drag it over the area where the burrs are. Then throw the rug or fabric away.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:51 pm 
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thanks for the ideas. Fortuntely most are still tender and green. I'm buying a large bag of molasses this weekend.

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