If you are having trouble dealing with stickers in the grass, you are not alone. Every year, yard owners and caretakers encounter this sticky situation.
They are a pain in the neck and will interfere with the growth of other plants in your yard. So, the quicker you learn how to get rid of stickers and apply what you have learned, the better.
Natural remedies such as using salt or vinegar seem to be selected the most to solve this problem. Continue reading to find out other methods that you can use to eliminate them from your precious yard!
Types of Stickers in Grass
Stickers are annual weeds. They often appear in dry soils but are not too uncommon in other types of soils. When it becomes hot, they produce/flower burrs, making them sticky and, thereby, a nasty problem for yard owners.
If you have done your research, you will realize that stickers go by a few different names. Some of the most common ones are:
- Burweed: These stickers are characterized by shiny seed pods and fern-like foliage. They have leaves covered in fine hair and stems branching out from the base with purple spots.
- Sand Burr: Well-known for having hairy collars, these stickers are light in color and can be cut into fine strips. They have smooth leaf blades that are about 2 to 5 inches long.
- Lawn Burr: These stickers freely branch with hairy leaves separating into tiny segments. Most notably, they have spine-tipped burrs that sting when touched.
- Grass Burr: These have a hairy membrane with somewhat flattened stems. In particular, when dug up, you will notice that they have burs attached to the seeding.
These are closely related sub-species with minor differences between them. But in essence, they are all the same annoying pricking monsters.
Together, they are little devils with sharp, protruding ends that cling to anything they come into contact with, including your clothes and pets’ fur.
Then, they make their way into your house and get into everything you own. In addition to being difficult and time-consuming to remove, they are painful when accidentally pricked against.
Here are some tips for getting rid of yard stickers:
How To Get Rid Of Stickers In Your Yard
Mechanical Control
For this method, prepare gardening gloves and your hands. You will be manually pulling out the weeds. Identify where they are and pluck them from the ground.
When doing this, make sure that you pull from the center in a single swift manner so that the roots are removed along with the upper body of the plant. Be meticulous—you do not want to rip off the plant while leaving the roots behind.
We suggest investing in a high-quality pair of gardening gloves to protect against painful injuries caused by the piercing seeds or burs. You should do this in the morning when the soil is still moist, making your job easier.
If your hands are not up for the task, opt for reliable gardening tools, like a hoe. It is best to kill the weeds before they have the chance to flower. Since propagating seeds is how they spread and become overwhelming to manage.
While this is an excellent solution to handling stickers, it cannot stop the weeds from growing. As a result, they will likely continue to grow, and you may have to repeat the procedure a few more times.
Natural Remedies
Some organic solutions that you can attempt are:
- Salt: Put salt in the roots of the stickers.
- Vinegar: Spread vinegar onto the leaves of the stickers.
- Soapy Water: Spray soapy water onto the leaves of the stickers.
- Boiling Water: Pour boiling water onto the stems and leaves of the stickers.
You should consider these methods on how to get rid of grass burrs in the lawn if you want to avoid using chemicals. However, keep in mind that these approaches are not selective.
They do not differentiate between what you want to kill and what you want to protect. Thus, they may harm your neighboring healthy plants.
In particular, with salt, the substance may seep into the soil and stunt the growth of other plants in the area.
Plus, these natural remedies cannot halt stickers’ growth. You will have to repeat the procedure again and again.
Mowing
This is an effective way of dealing with stickers. It is especially recommended if you have a mower readily available. With this method, pretend you are giving your yard a military haircut.
Set the height of your mower at only a few notches and run it over the yard. Make sure that you have a bag accompanying your mower to collect the already-cut products.
If you do not have a bag, you will waste your time and effort. You will only lend the stickers a hand in spreading across your entire yard.
For frequency, it is best to mow every three days for two weeks. Be consistent, and do not expect your problem to diminish with just the first cut.
Fertilizing & Watering
Another way to deal with stickers is with fertilizers and healthy watering. This method works because it strengthens the competition in your yard.
Despite being little monsters, these stickers struggle when competing with a thick and healthy lawn. They cannot invade effectively if the rest of your plants are prospering.
When you choose this method, regularly and adequately fertilizing as well as watering is critical.
MSMA
MSMA is a good weapon against weeds with stickers. They can easily be found in gardening stores and are relatively affordable. You just need to apply it as guided on the product’s packaging.
However, MSMA is not an eco-friendly option. It is harmful to children and animals. Hence, if you have decided to use this method, do it when your children and pets are away.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! The time, effort, and money you put into this fight depend on your chosen approach. Anyway, you can end your struggle with these little devils here.
After reading our article, you hope that you now manage to grasp some methods and valuable tips on getting rid of stickers in the yard, including manually weeding, applying natural remedies, mowing, fertilizing, and using MSMA.
