storm6490 2,768 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hello there! Knapp Weed is a problem for the Rocky Mountain Range and it has finally come to me! There is a piece of land next to me that belongs to someone that has never even stepped foot on their property. Their land was logged and disturbed years ago and the weeds just love it over there. A patch of the Knapp weeds have finally migrated with the wind over to my property and I have a nice section of it on my yard. I was reading about the Niacin it produces in the soil and some suggested over watering the area and then pulling the plants would help combat it. The patch is about 20 feet by 20 feet and I think I can combat it by myself. Using chemicals would be a last resort as I have kids these days and we also drink well water. I don't want sprays on my lawn if I can avoid it. Do any of you deal with this stuff? It sure is a pain in the ass. The roots are as deep as ginseng and if you don't cover up, they make you itch like poison ivy! Hoping to find a more natural way to get rid of the stuff! Thanks for any tips or tricks you learned during your mission to kill the nasty Knapp Weed! N Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PFerris 76 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Take a torch to it. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Take a torch to it. I was told that this doesn't work out too well. I guess it kills off the other competing greens in the area and makes a new bed for the seeds of the knapp weed. I have a really nice torch and would love to have an excuse to pull out the hose and start torching weeds, but I think it may make things worse! Have you torched the little bastards with any success? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I used a very effective weed puller tool for removing scotch broom It apeared to be built of tubular steel in small batches by a welder. It was called extractigator and is shown here in a competitor's site. http://www.pullerbear.com/compare.html it was fairly crude and heavy, but very effective. The rocker plate worked well as a mattock too. I was very impressed with how well it worked. the official site is a dead link http://www.extractigator.com/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dad2142Dad 6,559 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 http://www.co.lincoln.wa.us/WeedBoard/notoleranceweeds.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 The comparison is not really fair, because they misrepresent how low you can grab things. You can grab flush with the ground.To my eye, the only thing the bear one does better is the teeth on the cam operated jaw. I was able to lever out a plant in a minute or two that would have taken fifteen or twenty minutes of hard digging. Also, usually most of the roots came out intact. digging with shovels and mattocks would be likely to cut off root fragments that could regrow new plants. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
liberty -r- death 1,445 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Vinegar will kill it. You may have to spray it a couple or few of times, but it won't hurt you or you're water supply in the well. Will work like round up and kill everthing you spray, but it's bio friendly. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JC GoF 70 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hi-Yield Super Concentrate Killzall. It will kill anything!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chicagosfinest 26 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Get large brown or black tarps and cover the area a week or to everything will be dead and brittle 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I really like the idea of vinegar and tarps. The biomethod of introducing non native species is not too kosher in my area. Not sure what the the little buggers will do in the long run. I really don't want to spray chemicals that are commonly suggested by state agencies. I grew up around Monsanto land and really have a dislike for petrochemical agriculture. That tool looks pretty rad. Might be able to score something like it. It sure would beat staking the ground with the old beaten up KA bar to get the roots out. Most of them pop out but some are too anchored and stay in. I'm watering the hell out of them right now. I will apply some vinegar tomorrow and let it burn in, then add the tarp. Thanks for all the great ideas guys! N Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 If you have a portable steam cleaner, it makes the best enviro friendly vegetation killer. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Syndicate 812 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 plus 1 for the natural suggestions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PRISONSHANK 70 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 cover with newspaper, then mulch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mogunner 240 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 I take a gallon of white vinegar, mix 1/4 cup of table salt and 1/3 cup of Dawn in it and use a pump sprayer to apply. In direct sunlight it will shrivel stuff up fast, I use it on whatever needs killing around here. Had some vines taking over the bank by the street, no idea what they were but my weedeater wouldn't touch it except at the very ends of the vines. I went out and sprayed it every day about 10AM before it got real hot. I'd leave the salt out if you'd like anything to grow there anytime soon. The Dawn just thickens the vinegar up a little and makes it like a gel on the plants so it doesn't dry out as fast and give the vinegar more time to do it's thing. Cheap weed killer and no chemicals that will give the kids a third eye or anything... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
horatio 515 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) i have no experience with knapp weed, but i know in some of the home magazines i read they recommend vinegar or boiling water. tarps have been recommended for killing your whole lawn off to start over, so that should work too. salt will defintely kill anything. if you look at some of the nonselective herbicides, that prevent regrowth of anything for one year, the main ingredient is a fancy name for salt. good luck- that stuff sounds nasty Edited August 28, 2012 by fatty alcohol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I take a gallon of white vinegar, mix 1/4 cup of table salt and 1/3 cup of Dawn in it and use a pump sprayer to apply. In direct sunlight it will shrivel stuff up fast, I use it on whatever needs killing around here. Had some vines taking over the bank by the street, no idea what they were but my weedeater wouldn't touch it except at the very ends of the vines. I went out and sprayed it every day about 10AM before it got real hot. I'd leave the salt out if you'd like anything to grow there anytime soon. The Dawn just thickens the vinegar up a little and makes it like a gel on the plants so it doesn't dry out as fast and give the vinegar more time to do it's thing. Cheap weed killer and no chemicals that will give the kids a third eye or anything... Awesome! Lots of water might wash out the salts after it kills everything!?! Thanks for the mix! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squishy 1,149 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I hope Kudzu hasn't made to you yet...but as it spreads at a rate of 150,000 acres per years it's just a matter of time. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Syndicate 812 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) I hope Kudzu hasn't made to you yet...but as it spreads at a rate of 150,000 acres per years it's just a matter of time. I was gonna mention zombie weed, but I didn't want to alarm anyone Kudza blossoms smell amazing and make superb jelly though Edited August 28, 2012 by Syndicate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I hope Kudzu hasn't made to you yet...but as it spreads at a rate of 150,000 acres per years it's just a matter of time. That looks like a job for napalm! Naptha! Holy sheep s***! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zenman223 460 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 I was gonna suggest planting some kudzu. It will choke out everything else and your knap weed problem will be solved! That shit is bad around here, What is this jelly you speak of?? Never heard of such a thing!! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squishy 1,149 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Kudzu does have a number of possible uses including soil enhancement, animal feed, human food, medicine, even cellulosic ethanol but as with any raw material there is what can be done with it and what is economically feasible to do with it. There's more here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Wait until you have to battle bamboo. So far the most effective thing for bamboo has been a Ford 535 backhoe! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squishy 1,149 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Yep, that grass is too big to mow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zenman223 460 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Wait until you have to battle bamboo. So far the most effective thing for bamboo has been a Ford 535 backhoe! Got a big patch in my front yard, that stuff grows CRAZY fast too. Luckly it is right beside the driveway so the driveway keeps it from crossing over into the woods on the other side and there is a 5' drop off behind the bamboo with a rock wall. So far it has been somewhat self contained. It makes a great privacy wall to block the road though!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Syndicate 812 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 What is this jelly you speak of?? Never heard of such a thing!! ya I get it up in Eli-Jay GA, honey suckle blossom jelly also nom nom nom the blossoms are always hidden underneath the greenery. Got a big patch in my front yard, that stuff grows CRAZY fast too. Luckly it is right beside the driveway so the driveway keeps it from crossing over into the woods on the other side and there is a 5' drop off behind the bamboo with a rock wall. So far it has been somewhat self contained. It makes a great privacy wall to block the road though!! I love bamboo, it's a bitch, but I do all sorts of stuff with it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scoutjoe 276 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Mecahnical control first, IE weedwack it to "wear it out". Worked out well for me when I did Invasive Plant Control. Seed with natives if you can to help. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobRez 1,895 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) I have pulled more Knapweed than I care to remember. There are state programs that will help pay for your costs in controlling noxious weeds. They even used to give you around $8 per hour for the time you spend pulling them. However, if your neighbor does not controll his weed problem, you have no hope of getting rid of yours. We pulled weeds for years before finally resorting to using chemicals, tilling, seeding with Timothy grass, and fertilizing. We still need to spot spray in the spring time. It took a few years to have our fields free of Knapweed........then a neglectfull neighbor gave us back the gift of Knapweed again. Good luck with your new "Life-partner" Knapweed!!! edit; burning helps most in spring, before knapweed comes to seed, then you can throw down good grass seeds. Edited August 29, 2012 by RobRez 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ronin38 2,117 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 I say you take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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