# Soda Apples



## DreamerR (Dec 17, 2017)

My pasture is filled with Soda Apples. I went to get Chase yesterday and I walked through one and my leg is not all scratched up and it was dripping blood when it happened. I'm tired of this, how do I get rid of the gnarly weeds. I can't pull them... for obvious reasons. And I can't poison them... because of Chase. So what now?

Not my picture but thats what I'm dealing with incase your unaware of what a soda apple is.


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## secuono (Jul 6, 2011)

Mow them and keep them mowed?
That has worked for most weeds for me.


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

I know you can buy fly predators to release on your farm - maybe you can look into this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratiana_boliviana


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Keep them mown and/or sprayed.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Maybe you should discuss with the owner? I believe that you don’t actually have land, so you can’t make decisions on weed control. Express your concern and see if a plan can be hatched.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Obviously many have not dealt with soda apples....
Thorny plants and hurt as Lydia stated....


Only way I know of getting rid of them is to _dig them up_...yes pail and shovel and dig them _and_ their root up carefully...
DO NOT put it on a compost or manure pile...
THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE...they need to be put in a plastic bag and literally thrown away.
Do not mow them, do not... they will spread to hundreds more plants from the seeds...


I have had them, my neighbors have had them and I speak from experience...
The horses kind of stay away from them, at least mine did but once seen, I was out digging.
It will take you a couple of times digging them up to rid your property of the ******s...
Keep a close watch for them and as you see them, dig girl.. dig!!
:runninghorse2:...


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I would have the BO find another place for Chase and have that patch sprayed by a professional.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

We do not have soda apples but had cockle burrs terribly. We took a hoe to the plant and put root killer or straight vinegar on the root that was left. Slow tedious work but it did the trick


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Another reason for me to be happy about living where I live; we do not have Soda Apples. I've never even HEARD of them until now. What a nasty thing!


But, a lot of those sorts of really awful plants actually BENEFIT from being mown, and cut into a million pieces , which then regenerate. Like the Hydra of Greek legend.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Yea..._*not*_ beneficial these things...
They are not just in pastures but under trees, but they pose the same risks to horses regardless of where they grow.
Being part of the nightshade family makes it a no-go for me to have anywhere near my horses..


*Is a tropical soda apple edible? *

_No, it is from the same family as the nightshade plant. It is toxic to humans, and is considered an agricultural pest. Farmers and ranchers that find tropical soda apple quarantine their cattle from the area as they eliminate it. 
__http://food.answers.com/Q/Is_a_tropical_soda_apple_edible_


Here is a link to a comprehensive list of plants dangerous to horses.
This is written by the Ag Department in Orange County for all of Florida to reference...
These plants _*are*_ here in Florida Lydia...read carefully and go looking at that pasture Chase is in..
_https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfy...-nat-res/docs/pdf/Danger-to-Horses_112513.pdf_
Copy and paste the address into your internet address line Lydia so you can read the entire article, see the pictures of the plants and see the diagram they offered with likely areas to find the different plants...
There are many places to read about plants dangerous for our horses to be in contact with...get informed and be a good advocate for Chase or any horse you own and what they are exposed to.


Soda apples...get rid of them, period!!
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## AndalusianRobyn (Nov 27, 2017)

If you don't want to worry about poisoning him by spraying pesticides, you could always hack them back a bit and then give good old Vinegar a try. Pour a bunch on them. Some weeds it works, sometimes it's not strong enough. Could be a place to start!


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

Clip them with a trimmer or prune clipper. Once you do this you can de root. Use a metal rake and rake the area and weeds out.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Thick gloves, pointed shovel or sharp shooter and bucket. A good share how can work too but you need to be strong enough to take the entire crown off. It would have to be a really loose, friable soil to rake out roots and that type of soil is not where they typically grow. Usually it is hard, tight souls that hold roots. They can be mowed but it needs to be done before flowering/fruit set or you spread the seed everywhere. It also should be done frequently before that point. There are biological controls but I am not sure if available or reasonable in price. You'd also need to know when optimal time to apply. There are birds and other animals that love to eat the fruit and spread seed in their manure so you really want to make sure you are removing before the fruit is on the plant. I've had seed survive a commercial composting process. Nasty plant. And as said they are poisonous to horses.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

That should be sharp hoe. Soil not souls. Autocorrect bites.


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