Many of us in the South and into the transition zone suffer from this painful bur. Many of us can't even enjoy walking in the lawn with bare feet, so I'm going to tell you how to get rid of it. I want to make it clear that we are NOT referring to Field Sandbur, as these are typically seen in hay fields where the grass has grown high. Keep in mind, this is not just a one and done treatment but a couple of easy steps to get to your end result.
First, let's take a look at what it is and its growth habits.
- It's a Winter annual broadleaf weed
- The seed germinates in early fall when soil temps drop past the 70s
- This weed is called Sandbur, Sandspur, Burweed or Spurweed
- This weed fourishes in sparse/thin turf
- By Spring, these weeds will be developing the bur
- The plant will begin to die when air temps reach 90 degrees
- Post emergent treatment can be applied from Winter to early Spring
- There are several treatment options
As soil temps begin to fall below 70 degrees, some of your Winter weeds begin to germinate. Often times you will not even see the sprouts until mid to late Winter but you can bet your bottom dollar that they are there. Depending on the weather, the germination window can be broad but we have a weapon for this.
Step 1: Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early Fall
Get something down whether it's Prodiamine, Dithiopyr, Pendimethalin, Indaziflam, Atrazine, and Isoxaben, etc. Always read the product label to make sure it's safe for your grass type. Don't be afraid to hand pick weeds in the Winter time.
Step 2: Apply a post emergent herbicide sometime between early Winter to early Spring
Some of these herbicides include Celsius, Certainty, Dismiss, Specticle or any 3 way containing 2-4d, Dicamba and MCPP. Again, read the label before you decide. It's important to remember that the burs are developing in the Spring and will mature by late Spring. You want to eradicate the plant as early as possible, before the burs harden off.
Step 3: Continue this process for at least two seasons to ensure that no more burs remain in the soil
Consistency is the key to it all. While you're at it, go ahead and apply your pre-emergent in the Spring to cover warmseason weeds like Crabgrass and Goosegrass.
My recommendation for killing it right now would be Celsius WG since it does such a great job, low use rate and it'll kill just about every single Winter weed you have (including some grassy weeds like Crabgrass).
https://ncgrassplugs.com/products/celsius-wg-broadleaf-and-grassy-weed-control-for-warm-season-turf?_pos=1&_sid=926c585a3&_ss=r
Celsius is safe to apply on Bermuda, Centipede, Zoysia and St Augusine grasses, or any of our grass plugs. This small bottle is enough to treat at least two acres, making it a must have for your arsenal. Read the entire label!