Wild Onion Woes

Why are wild onions popping up all over my lawn?

Are you wasting your time mowing even when the grass isn’t growing because onions are popping up everywhere? Does it seem like they grow faster the more you cut your lawn? Are you tired of seeing and smelling them? If this sounds unfortunately familiar, then you are not alone, and we want to help you get rid of them for good.

Image Credit: Southen Living

Wild onions grow during the cooler parts of the year. Just like the ones in the store, they begin as a bulb underground. So, what you see growing amongst your grass is the top part, the stem. This growth habit is what makes them so difficult to control in unwanted areas. Pre-emergents, the chemical that helps prevent seeds from germinating and growing in your lawn, do not work since the seed, or bulb in our case, is underground. Pulling them is only effective if you can remove the entire bulb. Any part of the bulb left behind will still yield another plant. So now that we know a little bit more of how those pesky onions operate, what can you do to get rid of them?

Chemical control is the most effective and permanent solution to your wild onion problem. A quality 3-way herbicide is your best weapon to control wild onions and most other weeds that we often see in Athens, Georgia. What is a 3-way herbicide? These particular products are a combination of 3 chemicals that can control a wide spectrum of weeds. They are safe on both warm-season and cool-season grasses. Always check the label to make sure that your grass type is listed for use. Always read the labels for each product as they tell you how to mix and use the product so that you can do it safely and most effectively. You can find these products at your local garden center or home improvement store under the following names:

• Bayer Advanced Southern Weed Killer for Lawns Concentrate

• Spectracide Weed Stop for Lawns Concentrate

• Bonide Weed Beater – Lawn Weed Killer Concentrate

• Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer for Lawns Concentrate

In most lawn care situations, you can not treat the problem weed one time and hope it goes away. You will need to continue to apply the proper chemical a few times between the fall and spring. As a part of your scheduled treatment, your lawn care provider should be offering this service. If you don’t want to handle chemicals or your current lawn care provider in Athens, GA has not been able to take care of this problem, then contact Restoration Lawn Care for a free estimate today. With us, the next time you smell onions will be when you’re cooking them on your grill next summer!