How to Kill Jumping Cactus

If you have any on your property, you know what a menace the jumping cactus can be. While the spines don't actually jump onto passersby, the jumping cactus' spiny joints can be dislodged with the slightest brush. And, once in your skin, the cactus' spines expand upon contact with the moisture, making them a pain to dislodge. Even if they don't prick you, those joints are problematic. They can root nearly anywhere they land, send up a whole new jumping cactus and compound the problem. Killing jumping cactus takes a fair amount of effort, but it's worth it to have a prickle-free yard.

Shovel
Garden hose
Wheelbarrow

Instructions

- 1
  Push the cactus over with a shovel. Hold the shovel out horizontally in front of you and push the cactus away from you. Don't use too much force. You don't want to send needles flying. If the jumping cactus is too stout to push over, wrap a garden hose around the cactus (watch out for spines) and pull it down. Again, don't use any more force than necessary.
- 2
  Scoop up all of the cactus parts with the shovel and place them into a wheelbarrow. Those little spiny, detachable arms will root if left in place. If the trunks are too heavy to be lifted with the shovel, sever them into pieces with the edge of your shovel blade and a little pressure from your foot on the shovel.
- 3
  Dig the jumping cactus' roots up and toss them in the wheelbarrow. Try to get as many of the roots as possible. Dig wide, not deep. Cacti tend to have shallow, widespread roots.
- 4
  Bury the cactus material 1 foot deep, or discard it.

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