The presence of sharp, prickly burrs in your grass, often called stickers or goatheads, quickly turns a pleasant lawn into a painful hazard. These burrs are the hardened seed pods of various common weeds and are designed to cling to clothing, shoes, and fur, allowing the plant to spread its seeds widely. Successfully removing these nuisances and preventing their return requires a combination of immediate action and a long-term strategy for turf health.
Identifying the Common Burr-Producing Weeds
The most common burr-producers in turfgrass are broadly categorized by their life cycle, which is the single most important factor for effective control. Lawn Burweed (Soliva sessilis), also known as spurweed, is a winter annual that germinates in the fall as soil temperatures drop. It remains a small, inconspicuous plant throughout the cold months. As temperatures warm in late winter and early spring, the plant rapidly grows and forms its spine-tipped burrs in the leaf axils.
The plant dies off in late spring or early summer once air temperatures reach about 90°F, but the hard, spiny burrs remain on the soil surface, ready to germinate when the following fall arrives. In contrast, Sandbur (Cenchrus species) is typically a summer annual, with seeds germinating in late spring when soil temperatures reach around 52°F, peaking at 75°F. The Sandbur plant develops its painful, spiny burrs later in the summer season. Once the burrs harden, killing the parent plant will not eliminate the sharp stickers left behind.
Physical and Cultural Removal Methods
For immediate relief from existing burrs, especially those left behind after the weed has died, physical removal is the only solution. Manual removal, while tedious, is effective for small, isolated patches of burr-producing weeds before the burrs have hardened. When hand-pulling, wear protective gloves and ensure the entire root is removed, then dispose of the plants in a sealed bag to prevent seed dispersal.
A practical method for collecting hardened burrs scattered across the lawn involves dragging a piece of old carpet, a burlap sack, or an old blanket across the affected area. The material’s fibers snag the prickly spines, pulling them from the turf. Adjusting cultural practices can also discourage these low-growing weeds, which thrive in thin turf. Mowing at the highest recommended height for your turf type shades the soil, reducing the sunlight weeds need to germinate and grow.
Strategic Herbicide Application
Chemical control is the most effective method for managing large burr weed infestations, and success depends entirely on timing the application correctly. Herbicides are categorized as either pre-emergent or post-emergent. Pre-emergent herbicides, such as those containing prodiamine or isoxaben, establish a chemical barrier in the soil that prevents weed seeds from successfully germinating. For winter annuals like Lawn Burweed, this application must occur in the fall, typically late September to mid-October, before the seeds begin to sprout. For summer annuals like Sandbur, pre-emergent application is best done in late winter or early spring, before soil temperatures consistently reach 52°F.
Post-emergent herbicides are used to kill existing, actively growing weeds. For broadleaf weeds like Lawn Burweed, products containing combinations of 2,4-D, dicamba, and mecoprop (MCPP) are generally effective on most turf types. The most effective time to apply these is during the winter months—December, January, and February—when the weed is small and has not yet developed its spiny burrs. If applied after burrs form in early spring, the sharp burrs will remain on the lawn surface until they decompose, even though the plant is killed. Always check the product label for turf safety, as certain ingredients, like atrazine, are safer for grasses like St. Augustine and Centipedegrass.
Developing Long-Term Turf Resistance
Creating a dense, vigorous lawn is the best long-term defense against burr-producing weeds, as healthy turf naturally crowds out competing plants. Proper soil nutrition is fundamental, beginning with a soil test to determine the specific levels of nutrients and the soil’s pH. Applying the correct fertilizer based on the soil test results encourages deep, strong root systems and thick grass growth.
Aeration and overseeding are two cultural practices that enhance turf density and resistance. Aeration involves removing small soil cores to relieve compaction, allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the root zone more effectively. Overseeding immediately after aeration introduces new grass seed into the turf, filling in thin or bare patches. This process increases the overall density of the lawn, making it difficult for weed seeds to reach the soil and germinate.