Sticker weeds have shallow roots so they should be easy to uproot by hand. If you’re having trouble getting them out of the ground, use a hoe instead. Avoid tossing any sticker weeds in a compost pile since the seeds are still viable. Once you spread the compost, the seeds would sprout again.
Alternatively, you can lay a fuzzy blanket on the ground and put cinder blocks on 2 of the corners. Pull the blanket over the stickers by hand or with a riding lawnmower so the burrs stick to the fabric. [3] X Research source
Vinegar may also kill grass and nearby plants, so be sure to only spray the burweed when you use it. You could instead use a mixture of 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) of vodka, 2 cups (470 ml) of water, and 2 drops of dish soap to kill weeds. [5] X Research source
Baking soda works best to kill stickers before they form seeds or burrs. Baking soda could harm other plants and grasses nearby, so use it sparingly.
Trim off a maximum of ⅓ your lawn’s height when you mow to keep your grass healthy. Cutting your lawn shorter could make it weaker and let stickers grow in. [8] X Research source If the sticker weeds grow shorter than your grass, mowing won’t be as effective since the blades can’t cut off the burrs.
Keep your hose nearby so you can extinguish the flame as soon as you’re finished. You could also try pouring boiling water on a small patch of stickers to kill the plant, but be careful since it could kill nearby grass or plants.
Avoid waiting until the winter or spring to apply your herbicide since the stickers will already have germinated and formed burrs already. You may need to use a pre-emergent herbicide once a year for a few years to completely eliminate sticker weeds from your yard.
Spraying post-emergent herbicides later in the spring may help kill the weed, but the sharp burrs will have already formed and will still be in your yard. Avoid applying post-emergent herbicides when it’s hotter than 90 °F (32 °C) since you could damage your turfgrass.
Apply fertilizers at least twice a year while your grass is actively growing. [13] X Research source Water your lawn immediately after you apply fertilizer to help it soak into the soil.
