Back when I worked delivering propane in the summer I was given a delivery to an irrigation pump.  Backed down a 1/4 mile lane, stopped in the middle of a bunch of knee-high foxtail, jumped out of the cab ... and it wasn't foxtail.  Biggest sandburrs I had ever seen.  Nice, green, healthy, tall ... I've been raised on river bottom sand and I had never seen such a fine crop of sandburs.

Way back when I went to Jr College we had a new fresh out of college instructor.  Some of us were discussing sandburs and he had never heard of them.  He learned  Education can be painful.

The only suggestion I can offer is work on fertility.  When the fertility is right sandburs don't usually grow as well.  But there is always that exception.