natural solution to burdock

Does anyone have a good natural way to get rid of burdock. I have used boiling water. I went as far as using roundup. I have an area that is growing exponentially every year and it is tough to cut down. Appreciate any solutions people have. On the other side if anyone wants to come and dig it up for the roots just let me know. I know the root has great medicinal value but I don't have the time to dig it up, it is a hard job.

Goats or Highland cattle.

yep, goats decimate it.

We have a terrible burdock problem here. Round up does not do anything to it. I swear it gets stronger on round up. Cutting it off and dousing it with vinegar and salt also does not work. Yes, I have been experimenting!

The chemical Grazon is the only thing that works. Sorry, not a natural solution. But it does work. We are seeing a decrease in the number of burdock plants now that we've been doing the Grazon spot treatment for a couple of years.

You will likely have to go through an agricultural chemical supplier to get it, and you will probably have to promise them the soul of your first born child and sign something with your land location to get it. Just so you're prepared.

Don't have goats anymore, that is probably why it has become such a problem. Thanks for the feedback. I think I will live with it if the only solution is a chemical that controlled. Has anyone tried using the roots? Haven't tried yet but may have too.

We use roundup and then when they are dry we burn them. Use a little gasoline if you need to, but we don't usually have to. Burning them solves any seed that may have formed. Be careful if you use gasoline.
We had a huge patch of it last year, just got away on us, and I see only 1 bush in that area this summer.

A neighbor has just told me about vinegar 10% which works on Thistle..might work on Burdock. You have to apply when it is super hot, then the plant sucks it up and kills it. We have just dug up Burdock as youngsters and we don't have many. You may also wish to ask your agriculture person in your area for range management; sometimes they have a natural predator and I do believe there is one for Burdock..just can't recall what it is.....drat age.....

Vinegar doesn't work on burdock.

Burdock is bad here in Sask and there is no Natural way to get rid of it
Burdock takes a 2 year growing and seeding so the only way to do it natural is cut evry palnt down before heading and it has to be done for 4 years believe me I know of some that have done it
The only other thing is chemical and 24D works the best
also pen hogs up they will up root it just keep moving them around. Burdock is bad sticks to everything animal and people

appway wrote:Burdock is bad here in Sask and there is no Natural way to get rid of it
Burdock takes a 2 year growing and seeding so the only way to do it natural is cut evry palnt down before heading and it has to be done for 4 years believe me I know of some that have done it
The only other thing is chemical and 24D works the best
also pen hogs up they will up root it just keep moving  them around. Burdock is bad sticks to everything animal and people

Yep, what he said. The Grazon chemical I recommended contains Picloram and 2,4-D. Works good, but you do have to keep on top of it.

Thanks for the info, I will keep hacking and whacking. Will try to burn the stuff that is too close to the house.

I have Canada thistle and find that the Highland Cattle and Shetland Sheep find it palatable at certain times (early spring, then again at flowering) but avoid it totally at other times. I keep my scythe sharp and slice away at it whenever I can. Interestingly the sheep really like wilted thistle! I have read that scything right at flowering can traumatize the plant enough to kill it. I am certainly keeping it at bay this way but not getting rid of it. I think it is going to be spray to knock it back further.

Next spring I am going to cover thistle areas with tarps and weigh them down.

Thank goodness no burdock yet.

Heda, just be cautious, in Australia certain thistles can cause nitrate poisoning in cattle and sheep, especially when cut and wilted. Just something to look into if you can find any info on it.

Interesting Coopslave - I've been looking for cautions about this (Somebody-or-other Voth has written a book on teaching cows to eat thistle and other weeds, no cautions there, but I find her work poorly researched as I know Toadflax is a liver toxin). Anyway, the sheep have a definite limit to eating wilted thistle, and I have a definite limit to my scything. So far no sign of problems. But a good warning.

I saw my Exmoor pony in the biggest bunch of standing thistle this afternoon, munching away. He never ceases to amaze!

I love to watch the horses hold their lips back and pluck the tasty flowers and tender bits off the tops of the plants. They must be good to go thru that!

My goats peel the thistles.  They eat the pokey leaves and leave the flower head (the part I want eaten).  We have a TON of it here.  The best thing I've read you can do is keep it cut down and then, towards fall, dig around it to pull as much of the taproot out as possible.  Sprinkle a good tablespoon or so [of salt] on top of the remaining root and cover with soil.  It doesn't get a chance to repair itself before winter and will die off.  You can use a screwdriver to keep the holes small.

A good tablespoon of what?

BWAHAHA *Sips coffee* Salt. Tablespoon 'o salt

Aha - I thought that would be the answer!

Funny, my sheep love the flowers - skip all the rest of the mature plant (they do eat new leaves in the spring, just never enough) and nibble down the flowers. Very sweet - you can tell from the bees that the thistle flower is full of nectar!

Yes, a super sharp scythe (unlike the weed wacker the scythe leaves the hollow stalks open)is very helpful.

Now back to burdock - sorry bckev!

The problem with burdock is that it grows in the worst type of soil. My only suggestion would be the same thing I do with the mallow that infests my garden -- keep it pulled so it can't drop seeds. Eventually, it'll run out of dormant seeds in the ground.

You could also create a side business. Find out how to harvest burdock correctly and dry it for use as it has medicinal properties. Start supplying place with organic burdock.

With weeds I always try to out compete. Sometimes that means enhancing the soil with manure or peat moss or whatever is lacking, then overseeding with a mix of tame or wild grasses. And water. Getting rid of weeds is one thing. Having them not come back is just as important.