Creeping Oxalis – What a Creep!
How to fight back against Creeping Oxalis (Procumbent Yellow Sorrel)
Scientific name: Oxalis corniculata
Creeping Oxalis has small light green heart shaped leaves, very similar in appearance to clover. Oxalis, have heart shaped leaves while clover has oval shaped leaves. The flowers are small, about 3-4mm in diameter and bright yellow in colour containing five petals. Creeping Oxalis, as its name suggests, runs along the surface of the soil and produces roots from the leaf as it goes and creeps through your lawn. Seed pods mature then dry out and explode, causing the seed to spread. It is a very invasive and nasty weed, so it is important to take action against it as soon as possible.
Treatment
Creeping Oxalis is difficult to remove as crowns break off leaving roots for re-growth. You can hand remove small plants or dig out sections where you need to if they aren’t particularly large. If there is a substantial spread of Creeping Oxalis through your lawn, you will get better results by spraying your lawn with a selective herbicide.
A selective herbicide such as Lawn Solutions Australia All Purpose Weed Control will help to get rid of these weeds in all lawn types including kikuyu and couch and are safe to use on most varieties of buffalo.
Lawn Solutions Australia carry a wide range of weed and pest control products for buffalo and other lawn varieties. Remember to always follow manufacturer’s instructions on the pack.
Prevention
The best way to keep on top of creeping oxalis is through prevention. By maintaining your lawn regularly with fertilising and watering, your lawn will be healthier and less susceptible to the infiltration of weeds like Creeping Oxalis.
Raising your lawn mower height is particularly important in winter and will help you to avoid scalping of your grass, which also makes your lawn more susceptible to weed invasion. When weeds do occur, it is important to take action early and get on top of them before they get out of control and are more difficult to manage.
