Cockleburs

[greatgerts]

So, last year we had a bad outbreak of cockleburs. We mowed the fields last fall, but are seeing them return. What is the best herbicide to use? Our pastures are mostly fescue and clover with some orchard grass mixed in. I would love to be able to keep the clovers if I can. If mowing early is best to keep the clover and keep the cockleburs at bay, I will do that too. I just haven't found a herbicide that will kill the burs but not harm the clover.

 

[Bigfoot]

I spray all the time, and have clover everywhere. 2 four d seems to kill cukabur pretty good for me. As little as a pint to the acre when it's small has worked at my place.

 

[greatgerts]

I spray all the time, and have clover everywhere. 2 four d seems to kill cukabur pretty good for me. As little as a pint to the acre when it's small has worked at my place.

Thanks. I have some fields that the clover is taller than the fescue right now.

 

[dun]

Grazon, that will slow down the resprouting for the later batch of weeds.

 

[Bigfoot]

I spray all the time, and have clover everywhere. 2 four d seems to kill cukabur pretty good for me. As little as a pint to the acre when it's small has worked at my place.

Thanks. I have some fields that the clover is taller than the fescue right now.

I know your probably a full planting zone south of me, but I'm not seeing my warm season weeds yet.

 

[Texasmark]

2-4-D Amine, available in non restricted quart bottles will kill them dead in their tracks in just a few days. Will also hand around and pick up stragglers next year. Read the label as it is a multiusage broad leaf herbicide and is not like roundup.....only kills what it touches. It doesn't like most clovers if you have that planted.

When I bought this farm they were everywhere. The little bull calves would have knows of them around their business end, they were the ones about the size of a paper shell pecan with the extremely sharp spines. One spraying with a 1-2 % solution 6 quarts to 100 gal of water is what I used with a quart of diswashing soap as a surfactant....makes the stuff stick to the leaves and work better.

Information about it says that the broadleaf grows itself to death. The uppers suck up nutrients faster than the roots can supply them and it just runs out of steam. Just takes a few days for serious results to show up.

 

[Clodhopper]

2,4-D is a contact herbicide, it has virtually no residual effect. It will not kill anything next year from this year's application. Roundup is also a contact herbicide with no residual. 2,4-D is broadleaf only, Roundup is nonselective.

 

[callmefence]

2,4-D is a contact herbicide, it has virtually no residual effect. It will not kill anything next year from this year's application. Roundup is also a contact herbicide with no residual. 2,4-D is broadleaf only, Roundup is nonselective.

Absolutely correct. You straightened that out clodhopper ;-)
24d will kill the cockleburrs and is not to hard on clover. Grazon will smoke em but it's pretty rough on clover. Hate to say it but caustic burno straightened me out on grazon. It's great for getting a pasture on the right track the first year. But if you go with just 24d after that you will have a lot more clover. I've gone to a pint of 24d when the spring weeds start showing. And spray again with a quart after the clover has matured.

 

[dun]

As an aside, when we spray cocklebur with 2,4-d the cows think it's salad dressing. As soon as it wilts they will polish to the ground.

 

[greatgerts]

Thanks everyone. I got a few acres sprayed this weekend (really need a bigger sprayer) and hopefully I got enough of a good cover to make a difference on those areas.