Prickly Pear Cactus

[pixi]

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.

[Bourne Identity]

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...

[Cereus-validus.....]

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.

[David Bockman]

Bourne Identity wrote in news: [e-mail]:

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

[Hound Dog]

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

[Bourne Identity]

[Hound Dog]

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

[Cereus-validus.....]

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

[Bourne Identity]

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

[presley]

[Cereus-validus.......]

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.

[Rev "Fragile Warrior"]

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

[pixi]

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.

[pixi]

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.

[pixi]

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

[Cereus-validus.......]

Its an explosive and a pitiful attempt at humor by Rev. Stoopid. Blowing the plant up would only spread pieces far and wide and create more problems later on when they form even more colonies of the plant.

[Rev "Fragile Warrior"]

Awwwww... did someone try to remove you with a quarter stick on the fourth? You sound grouchier than normal.

[Cereus-validus.......]

You hear sounds over the internet?

You're tripping, dude.

You must have celebrated the fourth by imbibing a whole fifth of absinthe.

[Rev "Fragile Warrior"]

Wow. You ARE the King of Comedy. K00l retort, dude. You bees the bestest.

[Peter Jason]

There is a special moth whose caterpillar grub will chew it to pieces. I think it's called "Cactoblastis"