I have stickers (sandburs) on the back side of my barrow ditch. What's the best thing to spray this time of year? I'm looking for something potent enough to kill, and prevent their return. If nothing ever grew back in that area, it wouldn't bother me.

Don't know where you are or if you have a way to drag a big piece of old carpet around but I hear it will pick em up....

Roundup.....

There's a fella over on THF classifieds selling MSMA.

Stickers thrive in soil that is low in nitrogen content. Fertilize them with something high in nitrogen. It will kill the stickers without killing everything else.

Regular fertilizing will help other grasses to choke them out.
Don't use Round Up as it will kill everything and all the existing sticker seeds will have no competition and you'll have twice as many. Been there.
I hear MSMA does a good job but it is arsenic based and is no longer for sale.
Pastura is the hot new product for burrs and is a powder that is diluted in water. Very expensive.

Go to an ACE hardware and get a "weed popper" and mechanically remove them. I have filled 55 gallon bags full of them. I look at it this way, that's 1000 seeds that I do not have to worry about.

At one place I brought in dirt and sodded the place and have not seen one since.

Whatever you do to kill the "stickers", you have to remove them from the grass. I've heard of the carpet drag trick, but never tried it. Mowing with a catcher works, but it usually takes 3-4 times before I would venture out barefooted.

Calm wind-burn em out if its allowed in your area

I know you said NOW. But the best treatment for Grass Burrs is Pre-Emergent applied in Jan-Feb.

We used to use a chemical called Batasan I believe. It's been a long time. maybe some other lawn professional will chime in.

You can still get MSMA. EPA changed its ruling after new info proved that the arsenics in it weren't being trickled down into us from animals being fed cotton seeds and hulls.
They basically came out and said you can still use it on cotton, but you can only use it for spot treating everything else.

ruling here http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/organic_arsenicals_fs.html

We have been fighting sand burrs here at work and MSMA is doing the best job. My bosses thought Roundup would be best. While it killed the stickers that were there, it also killed all the grass which created better growing conditions for the stickers and they got worse. I've got them using MSMA now and we just about have them under control.

Adam, I happen to have 4 quarts of MSMA left. Do you know the mix ration or ounces per gallon of water for spot spraying? How are you mixing?

I mix it about 1 1/2 to 2 oz per gallon when spot treating. It will sometimes yellow the bermuda but it doesn't kill it. I also like to mix dye in with it so I know what I've sprayed already. Just remember not to spray it on St Augustine.

Works great but anything sold after 2009 is illegal to use on residential turf (new label). Old label can still be used if you have some.

True, and the EPA is a huge help with a replacement.

"The primary manner in which grass weeds such as crabgrass and dallisgrass can be effectively controlled is through the maintenance of a high quality turf. This includes developing healthy soil, using types of grass that thrive in your climate, and correcting thatch build-up. See additional information about Lawn and Garden pest control using integrated pest management and other environmentally friendly practices."