Spurs aren’t just for your cowboy boots, they’re for your lawn also. The only problem with that is, lawn spurs are actually a weed. A painful one at that.

Spurweeds, aka lawn burweed, are thorn-like stickers that fall from the flower head of the lawn burweed. The stems of this weed branch off and alternate along the stalk from the base of the plant. The leaves can reach up to 1.5” in length and ½” wide. This broadleaf weed, which resembles parsley, begins germinating in the fall as temperatures cool and continues a slow growth during the winter. In the spring, when temperatures rise, it rapidly grows and forms a fruit within the flower bud. Once matured, the fruit falls off and dries out from the heat. This results in the presence of the stickers throughout your lawn.

Spurweed seeds are often transferred throughout the lawn from lawn mowers, animals, and walking through infested areas. The seeds make their way into the soil where they wait to germinate.

Ways to eliminate lawn burweed:

  1. Apply pre-emergent in February and October. This helps weed seeds from germinating.
  2. Apply herbicides. Spraying directly on the plant before the plant has matured. This kills the seeds and fruit before the spurweed has a chance to fall off.
  3. Mow at a height of 3-3.5”. This keeps the lawn full and can choke out weeds easier.
  4. Avoid pulling. Pulling the weed allows the roots to break apart and regrow.
  5. Hire a professional

Before your lawn becomes a sticker minefield, contact Safe Earth Pest Control today. We have plans to fit all your lawn and pest control needs.

214-321-2847