The appearance of painful burrs, often called “stickers,” in a lawn can quickly make a yard unusable for people and pets. These stickers are actually the hard, spiny seed pods produced by certain annual weeds that develop as the plant matures. Removing these pests requires a targeted strategy to eliminate the weed itself while preserving the surrounding healthy turfgrass. The goal is to interrupt the life cycle of the weed, preventing it from producing sharp seeds that will germinate in future seasons.
Identifying Common Sticker Weeds
Effective treatment begins with correctly identifying the specific weed species, as their life cycles and herbicide susceptibility differ. Puncturevine, also known as goathead, is a broadleaf summer annual that grows low to the ground in spreading mats from a single taproot. Its fruit is a woody burr with two to four sharp spines capable of puncturing tires and skin.
Sandbur is a grassy summer annual weed that often blends into the lawn until its distinctive, spiny seed heads form in clusters along the stem. Lawn Burweed, or Spurweed, is typically a cool-season annual that germinates in the fall and develops hardened, spiny burrs in the leaf axils as temperatures rise in the late winter and early spring. Identifying whether the culprit is a broadleaf annual like Puncturevine or a grassy one like Sandbur dictates the type of selective control that must be applied.
Non-Chemical Removal Methods
For small, isolated patches, manual removal is the most direct and grass-safe method, provided it is done before the burrs fully harden and drop their seeds. The entire root structure must be pulled from the soil, as many of these weeds, particularly Puncturevine, feature a persistent taproot. Wearing thick gloves is recommended to protect hands from the emerging spines while handling the weeds.
Physical collection methods remove existing, dropped burrs, which is an important step in reducing the seed bank in the soil. Specialized tools like burr rollers or sweepers use dense hooks or spikes to pick up the spiny seeds from the turf surface. Alternatively, dragging an old blanket or piece of carpet across the infested area can snag the burrs, which should then be disposed of in a sealed bag. For dense, contained infestations, localized solarization or smothering is effective by covering the area with thick black plastic or cardboard for several weeks. This technique kills the weeds by depriving them of sunlight and heat.
Selective Herbicide Application
When infestations are widespread, a selective herbicide offers the most practical method for eliminating the weeds without harming the desirable turfgrass. Selective herbicides target broadleaf plants, such as Puncturevine and Lawn Burweed. Look for products containing a combination of active ingredients like 2,4-D, Dicamba, and MCPP (a “three-way” mix), which control a wide range of broadleaf weeds.
The most effective approach is post-emergent application, meaning the herbicide is applied directly to the weed after it has sprouted and is actively growing. Timing is critical; the herbicide must be applied before the plant begins to produce its hardened, mature burrs. Killing the plant after this point will not soften the already-formed stickers.
Grassy weeds, such as Sandbur, require a different selective product designed to control grassy annuals in turf. These products may contain active ingredients like quinclorac. Spot treatment is recommended to minimize the amount of chemical applied, involving application only to the visible weed patches. Always follow the manufacturer’s label instructions precisely regarding application rates and temperature limitations to ensure the safety of your specific type of turfgrass.
Preventing Future Infestations
Long-term control relies heavily on preventing seeds from germinating and promoting a robust lawn that naturally resists weed invasion. Pre-emergent herbicides create a chemical barrier in the top layer of the soil that inhibits cell division in the seeds as they begin to sprout. For cool-season annuals like Lawn Burweed, application is timed for the fall when soil temperatures drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, before germination.
For summer annuals like Puncturevine and Sandbur, the pre-emergent barrier should be established in the spring when soil temperatures consistently reach 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. A dense, healthy lawn serves as a significant deterrent, as thick turf crowds out the bare soil weeds need to germinate. Cultural practices, such as maintaining a slightly taller mowing height, encourage the grass blades to shade the soil, which helps suppress weed seed germination.