10 Ways To Kill Off Colorado’s Most Hated Weed

Sure, some in Colorado love weed but we don't love ALL weeds. We especially do not love goathead weed. No, you don't smoke it. This thorny plant can make your Grand Junction lawn a living hell when it matures. Once it starts producing seeds, it can be impossible to get rid of.

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Residents of the Western Slope can't stand it, and once you spend several weekends trying to get rid of it only see it show up again days later, you'll understand why. It all started when we asked you to tell us what chore you would hire someone to do if money was no obstacle. We started seeing answers about hiring someone to get rid of the goatheads. Here's why.

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What is Goat Head Weed?

See the face that 'Dirt Farmer Jay' is wearing in the video above? That will be your face once goathead weed takes over your lawn or driveway. Tribulus Terrestris is a herb that grows 1 to 3 feet in diameter. It is rooted to the ground by a single taproot. The thorny, spiky, mace balls that grow on it look like a goat's head and the plant is toxic to livestock who may eat it.

You Need To Catch It Early

The younger the weed the easier it is to kill it with herbicides. Killing this plant off before the fruit (thorns) grow is key, as they are strong enough to puncture thin-walled tires on bikes or wheel barrels and can seriously injure your dog's paws.

Why is Puncture Weed So Hard To Kill

Once this plant matures it starts to produce seed pods that release tons of seeds. Pulling the taproot from the ground just spreads the seeds over the lawn. You'll need a cordless vacuum to suck them up, or lots of time to hoe them out of the ground to stop it from spreading.

Keep reading to learn ten ways to combat the most annoying weed growing in Western Colorado.