Cockleburrs

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm fighting a battle with cockleburs again this year. Was real diligent last year and cut every one I saw. I keep a small hatchet in the basket of my 4 wheeler and a leatherman on my belt any time I am outside stop and cut every one I see. Was certain none went to seed last year but they are still popping up in the pasture and yard. They are just about impossible to get out of my horse's and mule's tail and mane when they get into them. You might as well just plan on giving them a haircut if they get into them.

   Something has been browsing them pretty close. Not sure if it is the horse, mule or the deer. Must be the horse and mule as the ones by the creek in the front yard don't seem to been nipped and the deer give my volunteer black heart cherry sprouts I leave and my transplanted dogwoods nearby a fit. Maybe if I mowed around them and flag them like my cherries and dogwoods the deer would eat them too.

   I thought about letting a few go to seed and trying to sell the burrs in October at our towns Railroad Days to visitors from Ohio and Kentucky who come down the New River Valley on special trains to see the Fall Foliage and terminate in our town, shop at our street fair for a couple hours and return. I figure they would buy them if properly marketed as "Porcupine Eggs".

[sandhills]

 :D :D "porcupine eggs"  I hates cockleburs as much as Magic Man hates sweet gum 

[beenthere]

Have you tried a herbicide, when the plants are very small ??

I've heard that the seeds remain viable for years... and sounds like that may be what you are finding out too.

[thecfarm]

Kinda like burdock in this area. I would be putting the round up to them too. We use to have burdock on my land. Does not really seem to grow out in the woods much,so if we kept at it,we killed it out.

[WV Sawmiller]

Been,

   I tried herbicide and it was moderately effective. Killed the ones I could reach but not sure some did not sprout back later. Hard for me to recognize from dock till it starts to flower. I'm betting these are seeds from previous years too when I was less diligent.

[pineywoods]

I do well remember gettin swatted by a cow's tail full of cocleburrs.  Took to tying her tail to a post till the milkin was done...

[beenthere]

I do well remember gettin swatted by a cow's tail full of cocleburrs.  Took to tying her tail to a post till the milkin was done...

I did that, but it was because they'd soaked it real good in the gutter first.  Then try to wrap it around your head while milking.  Their excuse was swatting flies, IIRC.   ;D