| I sent this question almost a week ago and I have yet to get a reply. What can I do to get rid of sticker burrs short of pulling them? They are in a flower bed and my long-haired dachshund gets them tangled in her fur. Also, I live in north Texas and as you know we ahve gotten a lot of rain this year. My roses of sharon have doubled in size. Could this be due to the amount of rain or the fact that we have had a lot of cloud cover? |
| Doris, I apologize for this delayed reply to your gardening question and hope it is still helpful to you. Sandburs or grassburs are especially troublesome in areas of the lawn that have poor soil or tend to be droughty at times. Sandy soils fit this situation especially well. Fertilizing and watering give your turfgrass the upper hand. Along with frequent mowing, these cultural practices can help you win the grassbur war over a year or two. There are herbicides that can prevent their seeds from germinating. These must be applied early in the spring and reapplied a couple of months later in order to catch them before they sprout and begin to grow. Once the sandburs are up and growing these products will not be effective. Your County Extension Office can assist by recommending an appropriate, labeled spray product if you choose to spray in future seasons. It is too late to spray this year. The rose of sharon is growing because it is becoming well established and this rainy year has provided all the moisture needed throughout the root system to support lots of new growth. I don't think the cloud cover is a factor except in that it minimized the water demands on the plant. Thanks for the question. Please stop in again soon! |
