Identification and treatment

Here’s how to identify the 5 most common lawn weeds and how to remove them from your lawn.

Cudweed

Amochaeta galviceps

1. Flat, shiny, mid-green leaves with a rosette shape
2. Various small flowers on stems
3. Fibrous roots

Control

1. hand removal and spot spray herbicide
2. Difficult to kill due to glossy leaves
3. May need two or more sprays.

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

1. Toothed leaves, light green
2. Milky sap, rosette shape
3. Solitary, double yellow, daisy like flowers on hollow stems
4. Thick contractile fleshy tap-root

Control

1. hand removal and spot spray herbicide.

Bindii (jo-jo)

Soliva pterosperma

1. Possibly the most annoying lawn weed due to the pain caused by the seeds to bare feet
2. Finely dissected, small, fern like leaves, light green in colour
3. Flat, small compact rosettes
4. Small green flowers deep in leaf axis
5. Fine, fibrous roots
6. Small brown, flat seeds with sharp spines that hurt bare feet

Control

1. hand removal or selective Bindii herbicides in winter or early autumn before the plant sets seed
2. Easily managed if tended to early.

Creeping Oxalis

Oxalis corniculata

1. Small, light green, clover like leaves on short petioles
2. Small, yellow, bell shaped flowers
3. Forms new roots wherever stems touch the ground, creeping under and through lawn
4. Thin tap-roots
5. Very difficult to remove as crown breaks off leaving roots for re-growth
6. Very invasive, nasty weed

Control

1. hand remove small plants
2. Dig out section of lawn
3. Herbicide for larger infestations.

Clover

Trifolium spp.

1. Clover shaped, green leaves with with circular markings, on thin stems
2. Small white flowers, ball shaped on stems with leaves
3. Tap-roots off stolons
4. Is a weed in lawn but in other areas can be beneficial due to high nutritional value
5. Four leaved plants are very lucky, so don’t poison those!

Control

1. hand removal and selective herbicide.

Lawn Weed Treatment

Hand removal

Many small weeds many be carefully pulled out by hand, however you will need to make sure you have removed the roots. Using a weeding trowel or long handled, mechanical device and prizing around the roots will help ensure total removal. The bigger the weed, the bigger and stronger the roots. In some cases, a weed spray might be necessary.

Herbicides

There are various herbicides available, including selective and non-selective. Non-selective products kill most plants including your lawn; selective herbicides target specific weeds only. It is strongly recommended that you consult your local nursery or turf expert to properly identify the weed in question first, so you can treat it with an appropriate and effective spray.

You will also need to check the suitability of the selected herbicide product for use on your lawn type. For example, many are not suitable for buffalo lawns.

For the weeds listed above (cudweed, dandelion, clover, bindii, creeping oxalis) you can use Bin-Die or Weed Control, both are safe to use on all turf varieties except ST varieties of buffalo.

Turfco 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.

For information on caring for your lawn visit our Lawn Care Page.