Saturday, August 29, 2015

Saturday encore ~ When pretty flowers go bad

This post, from two years ago, brings back memories of what I'll be doing today.
I hope your Saturday holds much more fun.

***

The ranch has been truly blessed by the summer monsoons. My acres of brown dirt have become a verdant meadow, 
covered with plants and grasses and wildflowers the likes of which I have never seen.
"If it's green, it's good," I say, with only a few exceptions. Meet this summer's major exception:  

This delicate, happy, little yellow flower...



...is now turning into an evil, sharp, dog-paw piercing fruit, which will dry and become the bane of Smooch's existence.



Out here we call them goatheads. My dearly beloved Willie takes great umbrage at the comparison.



There's a bumper crop of the stuff this year, and I spent the better part of the weekend 
yanking it out of the back yard and the paths where Smooch and I walk.



The yellow flowers make it relatively easy to spot amongst all the other green stuff, but I will admit 
to being totally overwhelmed by the task. There's no way I can make a dent in getting rid of it all. 



I'll do the best I can, but I've already warned Smooch that she may have to wear shoes on our walks this fall. 
Worst case, I'll get her a stroller.


13 comments:

  1. No stroller! Smooch is spoiled enough already!

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    Replies
    1. Did you ask Smooch about that? She may have a different opinion.

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    2. I'm quite sure that Smooch would say: "Run. Lemme RUN!!! I gotta RUNNNNN! But I'd appreciate it if I didn't have to pull goatheads out of my paws myself--getting some help with that would be cool. And then I can run again..."

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  2. They stick in the soles of your shoes and come into your house that way, especially with carpeting. Nasty Puncture Vine. I pull them up along with my Russian Thistle (tumbleweeds) as soon as I see them n the Spring and early summer. But with the vast acerage at the 7MSN, they're probably impossible to control. Perhaps you can submit a proposal for a new weaponized goathead material to DARPA and make some money off the darn stuff? I've been thinking about how we can use the Cane Cholla in such a way given it's one of New Mexico's greatest resources.

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  3. Can't you spray some weed killer in your fenced in area? Sure looks painful!

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    Replies
    1. Weed killer does not touch nor faze goatheads ... they can lie dormant in the soil for 3 to 5 years and with a good rain, they pop up overnight! They are almost impossible to get rid of but a nice thick carpet of grass seems to stifle them. I never had any luck with the grass, but the weed ... OMG ... grew like ... well, a weed!!

      Marcia in CO

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    2. Spraying won't help because the seeds remain unaffected and propagate the following year. I found a biological control - puncturevine weevils - but they look to be rather expensive http://puncturevineweevil.com/strategies-for-establishing-puncturevine-weevils/

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  4. Hmmm - an actual goat might come in handy about now. Won't they eat just about anything?!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Carson does need to extend her animal collection. A goat or 2 would do nicely :-)

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  5. What about Hank, Lucy and the boys? Do they eat it or avoid it?
    Is it safe/edible or does it taste bad and they avoid it?

    M in NC
    .... more worried about sick equines than weed control in this instance

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  6. If you get a stroller, you can't call it a walk. It'll be a stroll.

    yukyuk couldn't resist

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  7. oh yes, little cowgirl boots for Smooch, that will be great!

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  8. Goatsheads, what a bane and a big pain. I've heard that they can even puncture bicycle tires. Stuck in the bottom of your shoe they can mar a hardwood floor. And that each one of those little goatsheads contains 7 seeds which each can lay dormant in the ground for 7 years!!

    It took me about 7 years to rid our vegetable garden of these nasties! What a satisfying feeling, a job well done.... and then we moved to another ranch and I have to start the battle all over again :-(

    Good luck with the battle!

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