For homeowners in Central Texas who have turf grass lawns, August and September can be challenging times. The heat, lack of rain, and water restrictions send our bermuda, zoysia, st. augustine and even buffalo grasses into dormancy for survival. Opportunistic weeds take advantage of the stress and dormancy of grasses to sprout and become a problem in lawns.
One of the most dreaded of these weeds is the field sandbur or grass sticker. Walking barefoot in the yard becomes a painful experience for adults, children, and even the family dog. What can be done to rid the lawn of these weeds and their sharp, spiny seed pods? Organic or chemical? There are practices for clearing stickers which are already in the yard as well as ways to prevent them from sprouting at all.
If applying chemicals is not preferred, there are other ways to handle the stickers. In the fall, the sandburs are already present in stressed lawns. In this case, mow a little higher than usual and collect the grass clippings. This will prevent the dispersal of seed pods. Hand spraying with vinegar several times, 2-3 days apart, can kill the weeds. A relatively small area can be cleared of the sticky seed pods themselves by dragging a blanket over the area. Of course, hand pulling the weeds is always an option but OUCH!
Prevention is the most successful practice. In general, watering the lawn deeply and less often is better than frequent, shallow watering which encourages seed germination. Using dry corn gluten as a pre-emergent every 6 weeks, January – September is another way to prevent the presence of grass burs in your lawn. Before you apply compost or compost tea, spread the corn gluten (2 lbs per 100 sq. ft.) over grassy areas. Then water the area and let it dry for several days before watering again. Dry corn gluten also has 9% nitrogen, making it a mild fertilizer.
Use of chemical pre-emergents is another option for preventing grass stickers. These products should be applied between March 1 and March 15 when the SOIL (not air) temperature reaches 52°. Apply a second time about 60 days after the first application. Texas A&M Agrilife experts recommend products such as Surflan, Pendulum, or Barricade. If we can succeed in having thick, healthy lawns, the weeds will have a difficult time establishing. However, when dealing with heat and drought, even the most diligent gardener has a difficult time maintaining a lush turf grass lawn in Central Texas!
