Garden News


Wild Onion

Wild Onion 3 Wild Onion 1 Wild Onion 2

Wild onion is a cool season weed that becomes an eyesore when it towers over quality turf grass and forms massive clumps. This perennial pest is most unsightly in warm season turf during its dormancy phase. For instance, using the brown back drop of zoysia grass showcases this bunch plant and really disturbs the appearance of the lawn. This weed is in the Amaryllis family which includes wild garlic, chives and assorted bulbous flowers. The bulbous nature of reproduction and the waxy coating of the leaves make this weed difficult to control.

Remedies: Keep turf mown even in the winter as this will help weaken the plant, thus keeping the bulb smaller and less likely to reproduce. Mowing also keeps the hideous appearance to a minimum. Harvesting the weed by hand can be useful; however, unless the soil is very moist onion grass is likely to break leaving bulbs to return. Common weed controls are very effective, particularly after mowing, as the waxy coating has been scarred allowing material to penetrate.