Prickly Pear Cactus
 

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:12:53 -0400, "pixi" wrote:

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.


Chop the pads off the main plant and one by one, using full coverage
of 100 mil thick body suit, and gloves, put them into a bag and throw
them away. Any which fall to the ground will root and become a new
plant. I don't know of any sprays which will kill it. Maybe Steve
knows...

You got it.

You have to dig it all up and throw it away.

The only other sure fire method involves a flame thrower and can be very
dangerous.


"Bourne Identity" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:12:53 -0400, "pixi" wrote:

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.


Chop the pads off the main plant and one by one, using full coverage
of 100 mil thick body suit, and gloves, put them into a bag and throw
them away. Any which fall to the ground will root and become a new
plant. I don't know of any sprays which will kill it. Maybe Steve
knows...

Bourne Identity wrote in
:

On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:12:53 -0400, "pixi" wrote:

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I
have used do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you
much.


Chop the pads off the main plant and one by one, using full coverage
of 100 mil thick body suit, and gloves, put them into a bag and throw
them away. Any which fall to the ground will root and become a new
plant. I don't know of any sprays which will kill it. Maybe Steve
knows...


There's very little from US sources on herbicide control of Prickly Pear,
however an Australian government fact sheet suggests Triclopyr and Amitrol.

--
David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
email:
http://beyondgardening.com/Albums

"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

Since cactus grow in the desert and require little watering, maybe they
could be wiped out by OVER watering?

I'd add that whatever suit or protection worn on hands, arms, legs,
etc. should be hosed down thoroughly before you remove it or those
tiny needles get in everything on your body. Last week I pulled a
weed next to mine and though I know all of this, I still got some on
my hand, which accidentally went up to my face, which planted a few in
my tongue. That was a happy day full of a tweezer and 10x mag mirror.

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 18:32:27 GMT, "Cereus-validus....."
wrote:

You got it.

You have to dig it all up and throw it away.

The only other sure fire method involves a flame thrower and can be very
dangerous.


"Bourne Identity" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:12:53 -0400, "pixi" wrote:

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.


Chop the pads off the main plant and one by one, using full coverage
of 100 mil thick body suit, and gloves, put them into a bag and throw
them away. Any which fall to the ground will root and become a new
plant. I don't know of any sprays which will kill it. Maybe Steve
knows...

"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

Since cactus grow in the desert and require very little water, perhaps OVER
watering them would kill, or at least slow them down?

Since the eastern Opuntia humifusa naturally grows in non-desert region of
the eastern US, the answer is no.


"Hound Dog" wrote in message
...

"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

Since cactus grow in the desert and require little watering, maybe they
could be wiped out by OVER watering?

On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 15:45:08 -0500, "Hound Dog"
wrote:


"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

Since cactus grow in the desert and require little watering, maybe they
could be wiped out by OVER watering?


That would be a big negatory on that. It can take quite a bit of
watering.

Prickly pear pads are edible, and depending on the ethnic make-up of your
area, you could probably put an ad in a local hispanic shopping area for
someone to "harvest' the pads for you.
http://www.foodreference.com/html/art-cactus.html
"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

You are alluding to the wrong species. Only the pads of Opuntia ficus-indica
are occasionally eaten. Most of the other species have pads that are too
spiny, too fibrous or unpleasant tasting.


"presley" wrote in message
...
Prickly pear pads are edible, and depending on the ethnic make-up of your
area, you could probably put an ad in a local hispanic shopping area for
someone to "harvest' the pads for you.
http://www.foodreference.com/html/art-cactus.html
"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.

"Cereus-validus......." wrote in message
. ..
You are alluding to the wrong species. Only the pads of Opuntia
ficus-indica are occasionally eaten. Most of the other species have pads
that are too spiny, too fibrous or unpleasant tasting.

Perhaps some neighborhood kids with leftover M-80s would like to try and
remove it? Sounds like a great science project for the fall...

Thank you but almost everyone has prickly pear cactus growing somewhere on
their property.
I live in a rain shadow and the place is considered semi arid even though it
is WV.

Wish we had settled 10 miles further west. No cactus and lots of rain.
Also lower temperatures and lower humidity. Right now my entire yard is an
ugly brown. We water certain trees and the flowers but can't water 6 1/2
acres without going to the poorhouse.
"presley" wrote in message
...
Prickly pear pads are edible, and depending on the ethnic make-up of your
area, you could probably put an ad in a local hispanic shopping area for
someone to "harvest' the pads for you.

What is a leftover M-80? Haven't been a kid in a long time. Cows and goats
like the stuff and would clean it out a a week but they would also clean out
everything else.


"Rev "Fragile Warrior"" wrote in message
...

"Cereus-validus......." wrote in message
. ..
You are alluding to the wrong species. Only the pads of Opuntia
ficus-indica are occasionally eaten. Most of the other species have pads
that are too spiny, too fibrous or unpleasant tasting.

Perhaps some neighborhood kids with leftover M-80s would like to try and
remove it? Sounds like a great science project for the fall...

Did I thank everyone for their suggestions? If not a whole hearted thank
you.


"pixi" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of cactus. Any of the sprays I have
used
do nothing and I am too old to dig it all out. Thank you much.