Mowing Brudocks

[Drizler]

After the inasion of burdocks over the years I finally went and bought a brush hog last summer and mowed the critters in mid summer. This year of course being the multi year monster they are they came back and got mowed twice now due to the rain we have been swimming in. I did notice that they only got to the flat broad leaf stage and the grass had returned full and lush underneath. So mowing them does kill them off eventually right? How long does it usually take and how often do you mow?

[Tiffin]

Yes, mowing does kill them off but you have to mow often to keep them under control. I have an area of about an acre that I brush hog everyother week. The grass is nice and weeds are kept under wraps. I also mow a couple of other areas that eventually a local farmer who rents 60 acres will add these areas to his rental once I get the burdock and such cut back. I mow those three or four times a year. Again, nice grass under all the weeds, but it's looking good. Pastures are kept nice by brush hogging high once or twice a year.

[highlands]

I found that mowing stops them from seeding but it doesn't really kill them off. They end up as a low growing plant ready to spring up if I don't mow one year. For years we used a sharp pokey stick to sever the root deeply and then yank them out but there were too many.

Then we got pigs. Pigs LOVE burdock. They eat the plant from top to bottom including the hard to dig out root. Problem solved. Happy pigs. No burdock. For the few outside the fields we still hand nail them.

Thistles are another plant pigs love and eliminate.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

[Justaplain]

spray with amine 2 4 D. Will not burn grass, just broad leaf weeds. bcs

[Wisconsin Ann]

burdock is a biennial....grows year one, establishing a root and leaves. goes dormant over winter. Grows year 2 with leaves, flowers and seeds. The burdock grows along disturbed areas (like fields) because it's easiest for the seed to penetrate the ground and root.

Our extension agent told me that if you can mow it after it puts energy into forming the flowers, it won't grow back again that year. I know that when I mow the fields' edges to get rid of the stuff early in the summer, they grow back smaller but STILL put out flowers/seeds on the small plants.

supposedly, if you can mow it well for 2 years, you'll have gotten rid of it...in a perfect world. Even one plant going to seed can sow 500 plants

I like the idea of pigs. Our chickens actually eat the leaves, but not enough to kill the plants.

lots of people actually grow it for medicinal uses. and the root is roasted as a substitute for coffee....i tried that....I'd have to be REALLY thirsty to enjoy that.