Do you have wild onions growing in your yard? Are you wondering how to get rid of them? Many people ask how to kill wild garlic or wild onions because they spread fast and can take over your lawn. This guide will show you the best ways to stop them. You will learn different methods for wild onion control and how to keep them from coming back. Getting rid of wild onions in your yard is possible with the right steps.
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Spotting Wild Onions and Wild Garlic
Wild onions and wild garlic are common weeds. They look a bit like grass. But they have a strong smell. They smell like onions or garlic. This smell is the easiest way to tell what they are.
Wild onions and wild garlic are close relatives. They are both part of the Allium family.
* Wild onions (Allium canadense) have flat leaves. The leaves look like grass blades.
* Wild garlic (Allium vineale) has round, hollow leaves. They look like thin straws.
Both grow from small bulbs under the ground. They also make small bulbs called bulbils at the top of the plant. These bulbils are like tiny seeds. They fall off and start new plants. This makes them hard to get rid of.
Wild onions and wild garlic grow well in cool weather. You often see them in the spring and fall. They can stay green even when your grass is brown.
Why Wild Onions Are Hard to Fight
Wild onions are stubborn. They are tough weeds. Here is why:
- Bulbs: They grow from bulbs. If you pull the plant but leave the bulb, it will grow back.
- New Bulbs: The main bulb makes new small bulbs every year. These spread the plant underground.
- Bulbils: They make those tiny bulbs at the top. Birds and animals can carry these. They spread easily.
- Waxy Leaves: The leaves have a waxy coating. This coating makes it hard for sprays to stick to the leaves.
- Timing: They grow when your grass is not growing much. This can make treatment tricky.
Knowing these things helps you choose the best way to fight them. You need a plan that deals with the bulbs and the plant itself.
The Right Time to Fight Wild Onions
Timing is very important for wild onion treatment. Wild onions grow strongest when it is cool. This is usually in the fall and early spring.
- Fall: This is a good time to start treatment. The plants are growing. They are taking in food and water. If you spray them, they pull the spray down to the bulbs. This helps kill the whole plant. Treating them before winter comes is key.
- Early Spring: This is another good time. The plants start growing again. They are using up food from their bulbs. Treating them now can weaken them.
- Late Spring/Summer: This is not the best time. The plants may look dead. They might have made new bulbs. They store food in the bulbs to live through the hot summer. Treating them now might not kill the bulbs.
So, plan your wild onion control efforts for the fall and early spring.
Ways To Get Rid Of Wild Onions
There are a few main ways to get rid of wild onions in your yard. You can pull them by hand, use special sprays, or try natural methods. The best way for you depends on how many you have and how you feel about using sprays.
Method 1: Pulling and Digging (Manual Removal)
Removing wild onion bulbs by hand can work. But you must be careful. If you only pull the green top, the bulb stays in the ground. It will just grow a new top.
- When to do it: When the soil is soft and wet. This makes digging easier. The bulbs are less likely to break off.
- How to do it:
- Use a small shovel or trowel.
- Dig around the plant. Go deep enough to get under the bulb.
- Gently lift the plant and the soil around it.
- Try to get the main bulb and any small bulbs attached to it.
- Look for tiny bulbs in the soil where you dug. Collect them all.
- Put the plants and bulbs in a bag. Do not put them in your compost pile. They can keep growing there. Throw them away in the trash.
Why this works: You remove the source of the plant (the bulb).
Why it’s hard: It takes a lot of time and work. It is hard to find and get every single small bulb. Even missing one can lead to new plants. This method is best for small patches of wild onions.
Method 2: Using Sprays (Herbicides)
Using a spray or herbicide is often the most effective way to kill wild garlic and onions, especially for large areas. You need to pick the right kind of spray. You also need to use it at the right time.
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Types of Sprays:
- Non-selective sprays: These kill almost any plant they touch. Examples are glyphosate products. Do not use these in your lawn unless you want to kill your grass too. Use them for wild onions growing in garden beds, driveways, or other areas without grass.
- Selective sprays: These are made to kill weeds but not your grass. This is the type you need for eradicating wild onions from lawn areas. These sprays often contain chemicals like 2,4-D, mecoprop (MCPP), or dicamba. Look for products that say they kill wild onion or wild garlic and are safe for lawns.
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How to use sprays:
- Read the label: Always read the directions on the spray bottle. This is very important. It tells you how much to use and how to use it safely.
- Timing: Spray in the fall or early spring. The plant is growing and will take the spray down to the bulb.
- Weather: Spray when it is not windy. You don’t want the spray to drift onto plants you want to keep. Spray when rain is not expected for at least 24 hours. The spray needs time to work.
- Mix it right: If the spray needs mixing, use the right amount of water. Too much water makes it weak. Too little can harm your grass.
- Add a sticker (optional but helpful): Wild onion leaves are waxy. A few drops of dish soap or a special product called a “surfactant” or “sticker” can help the spray stick to the leaves better. This helps the plant soak it up.
- Spray the leaves: Spray the green leaves of the wild onions. Cover them well, but don’t spray so much that it runs off.
- Repeat: You will likely need to spray more than once. Wild onions are tough. Spray again in a few weeks if you see new growth. You might need to spray again in the spring if you treated in the fall. Follow the product label for how often you can spray.
Best herbicide for wild onions in lawns: Look for products with 2,4-D, MCPP, and dicamba. Many common lawn weed killers contain these. Make sure the label lists wild onion or wild garlic.
Table: Common Herbicide Types for Wild Onions
| Herbicide Type | Good For | What it Kills | Use in Lawns? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selective (e.g., 2,4-D) | Wild onions/garlic in lawns, dandelions | Broadleaf weeds (like onions) | Yes | Safe for most grasses if used right. |
| Non-Selective (e.g., Glyphosate) | Wild onions in garden beds, patios | Almost all plants | No | Kills grass too. Use with care. |
Using the right spray at the right time is a key part of wild onion control.
Method 3: Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Wild Onions
Some people prefer not to use chemical sprays. There are natural or organic wild onion control methods you can try. These often take more effort or time.
- Digging: We already talked about this. It is a natural way if you do it carefully. Get all the bulbs!
- Smothering: You can cover the wild onions to block light and air. This weakens and can kill the plants.
- Use black plastic sheeting.
- Use a thick layer of mulch (wood chips, straw, etc.).
- Make sure the cover is big enough to go past the edge of the patch.
- Leave it in place for several months. This works best in hot summer or over the winter.
- Check under the cover sometimes. If you see new growth, leave the cover on longer.
- Boiling Water: Pouring boiling water on small patches can kill plants and maybe some bulbs. This is best for wild onions in cracks in a driveway or patio, not in your lawn. It will kill grass.
- Vinegar Spray: Some people use strong vinegar (horticultural vinegar, which is stronger than kitchen vinegar) as a natural weed killer.
- Mix vinegar with a little dish soap (like 1 tablespoon per gallon). The soap helps it stick.
- Spray the leaves well.
- Vinegar works best on young plants. It usually only kills the top part. It might not kill the bulbs.
- You will need to spray often.
- Be careful, strong vinegar can harm other plants and can be acidic. It can also harm soil life.
Organic wild onion control methods are good if you have a small problem or want to avoid chemicals. For a big problem, they might not be as strong as sprays.
Eradicating Wild Onions From Lawn Areas
Getting wild onions out of your lawn is a special task. You want to kill the onions but keep your grass looking good. This is where selective herbicides are your best friend.
- Choose the Right Product: Pick a selective lawn weed killer. Make sure it says it kills wild onion and is safe for your type of grass (like Fescue, Rye, Bermuda, etc.). Reading the label is key.
- Apply in Fall/Spring: As we said, this is the best time. The wild onions are actively growing.
- Add a Sticker: Mix in a little non-detergent soap or a surfactant. This helps the spray stick to the waxy leaves.
- Spray When Dry: Spray when the grass and weeds are dry. Don’t spray right after watering or rain.
- Follow Up: Wild onions almost always need more than one treatment. Watch the treated areas. If you see new shoots in 3-4 weeks, spray again according to the product label instructions. You might need to treat in the fall and the spring for a few years.
Important Note: Some wild onion control products recommend mowing before spraying. This is because it exposes fresh leaf edges. Others say not to mow for a few days before and after spraying, so there is more leaf surface to soak up the spray. Always follow the specific directions on the product you buy.
By using selective sprays at the right time and repeating treatments, you can be successful in eradicating wild onions from lawn areas.
Preventing Wild Onions From Coming Back
Stopping wild onions from returning is just as important as killing the ones you have now. Wild onions spread easily. Prevent wild onions with a few simple steps.
- Keep Your Lawn Healthy: A thick, healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds. Wild onions find it hard to grow in dense grass.
- Mow High: Keep your grass a bit longer. Taller grass shades the soil. This makes it harder for weed seeds (and bulbs) to sprout.
- Water Right: Water deeply and less often. This helps grass roots grow deep and strong.
- Feed Your Lawn: Use fertilizer to give your grass the food it needs to grow thick. Ask your local garden center what is best for your grass type and area.
- Improve Your Soil: Add organic matter like compost. Good soil helps grass grow better. It also helps water drain well.
- Check for New Plants: Walk around your yard often, especially in fall and spring. Look for new wild onion shoots. Pull them right away if you see them. Catching them early is easier.
- Be Careful with New Soil or Plants: Sometimes wild onion bulbs can come in with new soil or plants you buy. Check these carefully before putting them in your yard.
- Clean Your Tools: Wild onion bulbs and bulbils can stick to your shovel, mower, or shoes. Clean your tools after working in areas with wild onions so you don’t spread them to other parts of your yard.
- Mulch Garden Beds: Use a thick layer of mulch (2-3 inches) in garden beds. This helps smother any wild onions trying to grow there.
Wild onion prevention is an ongoing job. But a strong, healthy lawn is your biggest help.
More Details on Wild Onion Treatment
Let’s look closer at specific treatments and challenges.
Dealing with Tough Patches
Sometimes, wild onions are very thick in one spot.
* Digging: For small, dense patches, digging is an option. Dig deep and wide to get all the bulbs.
* Smothering: Covering a tough spot with black plastic for a full growing season can work. This takes time but avoids chemicals.
* Repeated Spraying: You might need to spray tough areas many times over one or two years. Be patient and follow the product label for how often you can spray. Sometimes switching between two different types of selective herbicides (if the labels allow) can help.
Wild Garlic (Allium vineale) Removal
Allium vineale removal is much like wild onion removal. Remember wild garlic has round, hollow leaves.
* Identification: Smell is key. Round leaves are key.
* Methods: The same methods work: digging, smothering, and herbicides (selective for lawns, non-selective elsewhere).
* Timing: Fall and early spring treatments are still best.
* Herbicide: Selective herbicides with 2,4-D, MCPP, and dicamba are effective on wild garlic in lawns. You might need repeated sprays because of the bulbs.
Organic Wild Onion Control Revisited
If you are set on only using organic methods:
* Digging: This is the most direct organic method for removing wild onion bulbs. It’s hard work but effective if you are thorough.
* Smothering: Using thick mulch, cardboard, or black plastic is a good organic way to kill patches.
* Manual Removal of Bulbils: Pick off the little bulbils at the top of the plant before they fall off. This stops them from spreading new plants. You can also snip off the tops of the plants to remove the bulbils. Do this often during the season.
* Grazing (if possible): In larger areas like pastures, sheep or goats will eat wild onions and help control them. Not practical for most home yards!
Combining several organic wild onion control methods often works better than using just one. Digging and removing bulbils, then smothering the area, can be a powerful organic approach.
Safety First!
When using any spray product:
* Wear gloves.
* Wear long sleeves and pants.
* Wear eye protection.
* Spray on a calm day to avoid drift.
* Keep pets and children away from the treated area until it is dry.
* Store chemicals safely away from kids and pets.
* Follow all instructions on the product label.
Summary of Wild Onion Control Steps
- Identify: Make sure it’s wild onion or garlic by the smell and leaf shape.
- Pick Your Method: Choose digging (manual), spraying (chemical), or natural/organic ways based on the size of the problem and your comfort level.
- Time it Right: Treat in the fall and/or early spring for the best results.
- Treat Carefully:
- For digging: Get all the bulbs.
- For spraying: Use the right selective product for lawns. Add soap. Spray leaves well.
- For organic: Dig, smother, remove bulbils often.
- Repeat: Wild onions need repeat treatments. Don’t give up! Treat again as needed.
- Prevent: Keep your lawn healthy and thick. Check your yard often for new plants. Clean tools.
Following these steps gives you the best chance at getting rid of wild onions in your yard for good. Wild onion control takes patience, but it can be done.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wild Onions
Here are answers to common questions about dealing with wild onions.
Q: Can I just mow wild onions?
A: Mowing wild onions will cut off the tops. This makes them look better for a short time. But mowing will not kill the bulbs under the ground. They will just grow new leaves. Mowing might even spread the little bulbils at the top. So, mowing alone is not a good way for wild onion control.
Q: Will wild onions hurt my grass?
A: Wild onions compete with your grass for water, sunlight, and food (nutrients) in the soil. Large patches can crowd out grass. They can make your lawn look patchy and messy. They don’t usually kill the grass directly, but they make it weaker.
Q: Are wild onions edible? Can I eat them?
A: Yes, wild onions and wild garlic are technically edible. They taste like strong onions or garlic. However, it is very important to be 100% sure of what you are picking. There are other plants that look a bit like them but are poisonous. If a plant smells strongly of onion or garlic, it is likely safe to eat. If it does not smell like onion or garlic, do not eat it. Eating wild plants carries risk. It is generally safer to stick to onions you buy at the store. Also, if they have been sprayed with weed killer, they are definitely not safe to eat.
Q: How long does it take to get rid of wild onions?
A: It can take time, often one or two years of steady effort. This is because of the bulbs. You need to weaken and kill the main bulbs. You also need to deal with new bulbs that sprout. Repeat treatments in the fall and spring are usually needed.
Q: Will wild onions go away on their own?
A: No, wild onions will not go away on their own. They are tough and spread easily from bulbs and bulbils. If you do nothing, they will likely spread more in your yard.
Q: Do wild onions die in the summer heat?
A: The green leaves of wild onions often die back in hot summer weather. But the bulbs stay alive underground. They store food and wait for cooler weather to start growing again. This is why treating in summer is less effective at killing the bulbs.
Q: What if I have wild onions in my garden bed?
A: You can dig them up carefully, making sure to get all bulbs. You can also use a non-selective herbicide (like glyphosate) in garden beds before you plant flowers or vegetables, or very carefully sprayed directly onto the wild onions, making sure it does not touch other plants you want to keep. Smothering with thick mulch or black plastic is also a good option for garden beds.
Getting rid of wild onions in your yard takes effort and the right plan. By treating them at the best times and using the right methods, you can take back your lawn. Remember to be patient and keep an eye out for new growth. Good luck with your wild onion control!