We have got Goat Heads (puncture vine)...and they are no fun!

[geoaware]

Hi Folks

We have bought a small farm that is overrun with Goat Heads. This is a small vine like plant that springs up in early summer and grows like a ground cover. It has a little yellow flower (and the plant it self if quite pretty). But the seed pod is a horror! It breaks apart into a number of pieces that are up to half an inch across and have super mean thorns. The pod look like little horned goats heads (hence the name) and when they dry they will pierce bike and lawn tractor tires (trust us...we know from experience) and stick into shoes. Catching one with bare feet is a killer.

We sprayed last year as we decided that the problem was so great it was worth the risk of the long term effects of any chemicals. We have burnt them, we have dug them up and we have prayed for locusts.

This year we will probably spray again, and are thinking of releasing weevils that eat them.

Do others have experience of managing these little blighters???

Gaz and Jen

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

That seems like a very strange plant. its funny how a pretty plant can be so ugly
When did they start to grow in your yard?

 

[geoaware]

They start to sprout in late April to early June, but continue through the summer.

We just found out that the Colorado Dept of Ag. has a weevil release program to manage these weeds. You release the weevils in fall and they start attacking seeds and then the vines the next summer.

We will try this biological control as well as continued spraying and even (and this sound funny) shop-vacing up the seeds when they blow (OMG its windy out on the plains) into piles.

Gary and Jen

 

[Chickchic]

Yep, we have them. Used to have a lot more than we do now. I spent a lot of time pulling them up in clusters in my lawn last year grab them by the center and pull them up. I have continued spraying weed-be-gone and have succeeded in eradicating them from the lawn now. I find it funny though, maybe you need some goats? LOL. Mine LOVE goat heads and will eat them all. (On the non sprayed portions FYI LOL)
I just pulled up a large patch with gloves in my cucumber area.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

You are the right track. Taking care of the seeds is the most important thing to do. Old pieces of carpet can help to. Just lay them down and they stick to the carpets.

The biological control of using weevils (both Microlarinus lareynii and M. lypriformis) work very well but need to reapplied after 2-3 years. They are available commercially through many sources.

Pull them out before they go to seed!