Flat tyres

[facthunter]

The Caltrop is carried in on wheels. (and shoes) The seeds are known as 3 cornered Jack. When it first shoots it's a lovely looking ferny thing. Looks harmless and then it takes over. Grub it out before the seeds start to fall apart. They are originally packed tightly together. Burn it all at high temp. It was all over Echuca last time I was there. Prevention is better than cure with this stuff.. Nev

 

 

[jetjr]

Once it sets some seed - around 10cm across - only pulling out and removing works, after some rain makes getting roots easier

 

It doesnt like competition so killing everything just gives seed a new start on bare ground

 

 

[kasper]

I have got all the spraying gear and have done that , we own a farm , only takes a rain and they reappear, up until a couple of years ago I had never come across them but one of my boys goes away ag contracting and I reckon he carted them back , small spiky burs that stick in rubber, yellow flowers , getting good at fixing flats ,after they have dried up the seed pods are still sharp

OK - from the right hand edge of Australia we have 'bindi' and 'catheads'

bindis (Khaki Weed - Alternanthera pungens) do not flatten tires but are horrid on bare feet - they have multi seed in the head and each seed has two fine needle like extensions on the seed that go into skin and break off - very unhappy - pic

 

Catheads (Caltrops - Tribulus terrestris) DO flatten tires - often called three cornered jacks and the dried seed head breaks into multiple three cornered 'cat head shaped' seeds that individually dry as hard as nails and the spikes are very strong - also quite painful to step on - pic

 

Bindi are relatively easy to control with spray ... but as they do not impact tyres its a shame because Catheads are a bugger to eraddicate - the sead is dormant and seem 'safe' from spray sprouting when rain comes PLUS the root system is long lasting and like blackberries needs multiple sprays to weaken the root and finally kill it and stop it coming back.

 

Sorry but catheads are not easy to get rid of and there is no one-spray that does in the full life cycle of the little mongrels

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

My experience of these two weeds is pretty much the opposite, Kaspar. I have found khaki weed damned hard to eradicate. Like most weeds, spray works best when the plant is growing vigorously. Early in the morning while the grass is still damp seems to be the best time. After rain I have to go out to the airport at least weekly because new plants spring up and grow like crazy.

 

By comparison, cat heads have been easy to kill and each time we get wet weather there are far fewer to deal with.

 

Persistence pays off in the end.

 

 

[kasper]

My experience of these two weeds is pretty much the opposite, Kaspar. I have found khaki weed damned hard to eradicate. Like most weeds, spray works best when the plant is growing vigorously. Early in the morning while the grass is still damp seems to be the best time. After rain I have to go out to the airport at least weekly because new plants spring up and grow like crazy.By comparison, cat heads have been easy to kill and each time we get wet weather there far fewer to deal with.

Persistence pays off in the end.

Lucky you ... do share the weed killer that does catheads in in one easy spray... only for future reference if I'm totally desperate mind (no chemical sprays used on the farm other than those allowed under organic) as my paddock/landing area has neither at the moment I am dread fearing coming back from a flyaway with one in my tires to let them in.

Fortunately I do not have any bindi on the property either ... but i do have a lovely crop of Scotch Thistle under continuous attach with brushcutter and hoe ... but hitting one of them in an open trike would seriously diminish my pleasure at the end of a flight

 

 

[SDQDI]

If you can get a good cover of grass that certainly helps, I would advise against roundup as it removes all the competition and cat heads will thrive.

 

Di Kamba or any Kamba alternative will do a good job while leaving the grass alone.

 

Talk to your local spray contractors or local farm chemical shop Agronamist and ask about PRE emergent broadleaf sprays. (We only use grass pre emergent here so not sure what the alternatives are, maybe trifluralin might work but only if you have enough established grass as it will kill new grass shoots(as in the seed when it shoots not growing shoots)) a good pre emergent will stop any broadleaf from shooting to start with and would be a better alternative than spraying them once they are up. Use caution though and make sure you tell them your grass variety as some may be susceptible.

 

It would have to be done over a couple of years though, a good dose of pre emergent at the end of winter before any start to shoot and then a couple of hits with some Kamba through the season. But I can't put enough emphasis on how important it is to ensure you have some sort of growing competition to compete with the prickles otherwise it will be a life long battle and you won't win!

 

 

[SDQDI]

Aside from that I have goo in one of my bushwheels and don't have any balance problems BUT i suppose my touchdowns are steadyish.

 

I get cat heads in the bushwheels but have never had a leak from them, even in the one without goo.

 

The reason I only have goo in one wheel? The other one from new has some rubber blocking where the valve stem goes in and I couldn't get the goo in, it inflates under pressure but deflating takes forever.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Lucky you ... do share the weed killer that does catheads in in one easy spray... only for future reference if I'm totally desperate mind (no chemical sprays used on the farm other than those allowed under organic) as my paddock/landing area has neither at the moment I am dread fearing coming back from a flyaway with one in my tires to let them in....

You're right Kaspar. Every trip away risks bringing them back to your strip.

 

As JETJR and SDQDI say, brand name Kamba. After decades of hard work to avoid using chemicals it was a last resort for me to use the bloody stuff, but it works well. (I eased my conscience with the knowledge that it only took 4 litres of concentrate to eradicate cat heads and khaki weed from 3 ha.)

 

... but i do have a lovely crop of Scotch Thistle under continuous attach with brushcutter and hoe ...

I got rid of mine with a mediaeval El Cid sword.

 

 

[Steve L]

I found the only way to eradicate cowtrop on my property was burning it. After many years digging it, pulling it out or using near every poison recommended it seemed to come back

 

stronger year after year. So I mixed petrol and diesel in a sprayer and set the ground alight for about 2 meter's around each plant that I found, pretty sure the seeds can germinate up to 7

 

years after falling from the plant burning killed them too. Haven't seen cowthrop here for 2 years now.

 

 

[nong]

I use good old Nufarm 2,4-D Amine, for quick knock down of catheads, growing in grass.

 

$140.00 will get you a 20 litre drum.

 

It's a matter of rechecking every few days, during the growing season, so as to catch new outbreaks, particularly after rain.

 

Only use selective herbicide, or a flame thrower, as others have said.

 

If your female neighbour is growing roses, and they happen to hang over your fence, a quick squirt of Amine can limit the intrusion.

 

If you have an airstrip to spray, why not pick up an old spray rigged Thruster so you can enjoy the work!

 

You'll be stinky 'n smilin!

 

 

[SDQDI]

I use good old Nufarm 2,4-D Amine, for quick knock down of catheads, growing in grass.$140.00 will get you a 20 litre drum.

It's a matter of rechecking every few days, during the growing season, so as to catch new outbreaks, particularly after rain.

 

Only use selective herbicide, or a flame thrower, as others have said.

 

If your female neighbour is growing roses, and they happen to hang over your fence, a quick squirt of Amine can limit the intrusion.

 

If you have an airstrip to spray, why not pick up an old spray rigged Thruster so you can enjoy the work!

 

You'll be stinky 'n smilin!

While 24D does a perfect job on catheads be VERY cautious if you have cotton growing within 100ks or so. 24D is very unstable and even if you have no drift when you spray, it will lift off overnight and can cause massive damage to cotton a LONG way away. The Kamba is a more stable product but still needs to be used with caution.

 

Even spraying a small house yard can ruin a cotton crop 50 kilometres or more away so be VERY VERY careful.

 

the low volitility versions are a much safer option for everyone.

 

 

[rhtrudder]

I found the only way to eradicate cowtrop on my property was burning it. After many years digging it, pulling it out or using near every poison recommended it seemed to come backstronger year after year. So I mixed petrol and diesel in a sprayer and set the ground alight for about 2 meter's around each plant that I found, pretty sure the seeds can germinate up to 7

years after falling from the plant burning killed them too. Haven't seen cowthrop here for 2 years now.

That's exactly what I intend to do once the fire restrictions come off

 

 

[jetjr]

Kamba M is a commercial name for Dicamba and MCPA mix - way better than straight Dicamba and you handle much less product.

 

Spray when actively growing, do be careful with wind and conditions.

 

Using 24D amine loosely will quickly see you in trouble, also kills grapevines (plenty are highly valued) and most broadleaf crops. If can drift a huge distance.

 

Currently massive legal issues in NSW with thousands of ha of crop damaged this summer through careless 24D usage. Was hit several times. Going to be horribly expensive for someone.

 

Firebugs be aware of fire restrictions and potential to get away

 

 

[ctfarmer]

I have the green slime in my flight design Ctls tires. I land on our farm strip and taxi about 3km to shed. First landing. Two flats from those large cat head 3 spiked burrs.

 

Stripped them, new tubes and green slime. Hundreds of landings since and no flats. In fact, they do not ever even need air. I can't feel it in the tyre on either take off or landing.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Hi CT

 

What amount of slime per tyre?.

 

I have cut an old tube to use as a cap over the new tube making the tube wall twice as thick, if the slime leaks between the tube & cap it should glue the two together.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Fairoaks Flyer]

I use the following products on bindi and they are quick and effective to get rid of them and don't kill the grass - Dicamba, Associate, Metsun. Round-up is dreadful stuff, as it kills the grass and then thousands of farmers friends grow instead. Anything Metsulphuron is the answer for bindis.

 

 

[ctfarmer]

From memory about 100ml per tyre.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Thanks for the 100ml size, CT,.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[spacesailor]

By the way!, not Bindi's but the bigger sharper "Cathead's", my 4wd had hundreds of them stuck into the tyres very tight.

 

Out Dubbo way,

 

spacesailor

 

 

[facthunter]

That's how they infest new areas. I had none till I got a fence contractor into do some vineyard posts and he came from an infested block and my life changed after that. I never knew Caltrop existed till then. Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

I sympathize with you FT, as to the blood sweat & tears. I tried picking the suckers out with fingers, (fat chance)

 

but ended up using long nose pliers, Then gave up & scrapped them off with my poo spade, LoL, before getting

 

back onto the blacktop.

 

PS I asked the land owner & was told , "he'd given up spraying as there were more every year"

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Be ready for the slime to give your wheels a terrible out-of balance. After trying this stuff, I now use not one but two linings inside the tyre made from the old tubes. So the thorn needs to penetrate the tyre plus 3 layers of tube and this does the trick.

 

Good advice here on sprays. I use 2,4D and/or Glyphosate here depending on whether you want to kill everything or just the broadleaf , but this farm is a long way from cotton or vines.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Old.K

 

Can you PLEASE tell us, that are struggling with the PLAUGE of Cathead weed, what you are using that makes "bindi (jo-jo Not ERWIN) harder to eradicate.

 

I will get on my bike to get it as soon as "D&J rural" is open.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Russ]

Noticed the other day a " commercial type" zero steer mower, was fitted with 6" tyres that were not reliant on air pressure, they were solid neumatic style, and nice hardish spongy. Might be worth following up.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Old.KCan you PLEASE tell us, that are struggling with the PLAUGE of Cathead weed, what you are using that makes "bindi (jo-jo Not ERWIN) harder to eradicate.

I will get on my bike to get it as soon as "D&J rural" is open.

 

spacesailor

Been covered earlier in this thread, Spacey, about #30.

Kamba works well for me.