Control wild garlic and onions before mowing season begins (3-8-10)

If your lawn has a history of wild garlic (or onions) then it is time now to take action. Wild garlic and wild onions are difficult to control due to their cylinder shaped waxy leaves and large storage bulbs below ground. Therefore, to get the best bang from a post-emerge herbicide application the herbicide needs to be applied while the wild garlic is actively growing and has tender tall leaves that have not been cut off with the lawn mower. The best opportunity for controlling this troublesome weed is while your lawn is still dormant., particularly for centipede and St. Augustine lawns that are more sensitive to many post-emerge herbicides.

Recommended herbicides that have good to excellent activity on wild garlic include imazaquin, the hormonal herbicides such as 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, fluroxypyr, etc. and the sulfonyl-urea herbicides such as metsulfuron, sulfosulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron. Always read product labels carefully for safety to turf species and use rates.

Published March 8, 2010

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu