How to Get Rid of Oxalis Weeds

Removing oxalis weeds is challenging.

Oxalis weeds are more commonly known as Wood Sorrel, and they are often planted as ground cover. Oxalis weeds come in a variety of types; one of the most common in North America is the Yellow Wood Sorrel. Oxalis weeds have small flowers that resemble clovers, and they cannot simply be pulled out of the ground like other weeds. They have a "parent" bulb that grows under the soil with many smaller bulbs attached so pulling these weeds with not remove them completely.

Things You'll Need

• Herbicide
• Dish detergent
• Sprayer
• Black landscaping plastic

Instructions

1. Mix the herbicide according to the label. Add three tablespoons dish detergent to one gallon of herbicide solution. The dish detergent will help the herbicide to stick more efficiently to the oxalis weeds.

2. Spray the herbicide liberally onto to the oxalis plants. Do this before the flowers bloom, which is most often in early summer. Wait one week, and spray the herbicide-dish detergent solution on the weeds again.

3. Lay black landscaping plastic over the oxalis weeds before the flowers bloom. Make sure you cover all of the oxalis weeds completely. Wait one growing season before removing the plastic. Once the plants are dead, remove the dead weeds and plant a new plant or ground cover of your choice.

Tips & Warnings

• Dispose of dead oxalis weeds in yard waste bags. Do no compost them, as the seeds with cause more unwanted oxalis growth.

• Use caution when working with herbicides.

References

• The Garden Lady: Eradicating Oxalis Corniculata
• Garden Guides: How to Get Rid of Oxalis Weeds