How To Get Rid Of Bindii Weeds

Bindii’s can be described as a landscaper’s worst nightmare. Bindii weeds not only ruin the look of your lawn, but they can make walking on the grass without shoes a very painful experience! And after all the hard work you’ve put into that turf, you want to be able to enjoy it, not have to avoid it. 

What are Bindii Weeds? 

Bindii’s are a low-growing, leafy, green weed that is commonly seen growing in lawns across Australia. It produces a single flower which matures into a spiny seed pod. These dried seed pods are sharp enough to puncture bike or pram tyre or soft-soled shoe, and they have a horrible habit of attaching themselves to clothing, shoes and pet hair. Because they grow close to the ground, bindii flowers generally avoid the cutting deck of the lawnmower, meaning that they can’t be controlled by simply cutting the grass. 

What makes Bindii weeds grow? 

There are many different reasons bindii’s grow. Turf doesn’t have them when they are first established so it can be confusing to see them appear. The conditions that cause bindii’s to appear and grow include: 

• Compacted soil: if your soil isn’t properly aerated, your lawn will suffer but the bindii will thrive 

• Dry soil: if your soil lacks moisture your grass will die back, opening the doors to weeds such as bindii 

• Acidic soil: bindii seems to be more of a problem in acidic soil, so keep a close eye on the ph levels of your dirt 

• Dirty equipment: keeping your mower clean will reduce contamination in your lawn and create longevity, if you go and mow weeds then mow you nice new lawn you will have problems with seeds germinating and weeds growing! 

How can Bindii weeds be removed? 

If you’re an avid gardener or landscaper you’re certainly not going to sit back and resign yourself to having to keep off the lawn! Those bindii’s can be controlled. And although it might take some time and a considerable amount of elbow grease, your family and pets will be able to enjoy your bindii free lawn. 

Obviously, the method of control and removal is going to depend on the size of the area affected: 

• Weed by Hand: if your yard is small, you may be able to control bindii weeds by hand removal. This effective and noninvasive method which works brilliantly for domestic gardens. Ensure that you remove the roots of the weed too, not just the leafy, green tops. 

• Spray Using Chemicals: treating your turf with the correct herbicide is probably the most effective method for controlling bindii weeds in large lawn areas. Be sure to prepare and apply the mixture according to the manufacturer’s instructions and repeat if necessary. 

• Boiling Water: boiling water poured directly onto the bindii weed will kill it. Be careful using this method because you may also kill the surrounding grass area. 

To maintain a bindii-free lawn, spray and fertilise regularly and implement good watering practices. This will ensure that your lawn is healthy, robust and provides a strong competition for weeds! 

The team at Rivers Edge Turf can help you create a lawn that is as beautiful underfoot as it is to look at! Call us on (02) 4579 9009 and chat to one of our team.