How to Get Rid of Wild Onions
The term "wild onion" sounds benign enough, but the pesky plants can actually prove a menace to lawns, gardens and even farms. The real culprit rests beneath the ground: The roots of the wild onion, like any good perennial plant, can be counted on to sprout year after year. In addition, miniature bulbs, or "bulblets," form easily, ensuring the plant's rapid-fire proliferation across lawn, garden or field. Eradicating them is no simple matter, requiring consistent effort over time. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Pull the onions out of the ground. Do this as soon as you see the wild onions starting to grow. Once they have reached their full height, they will be harder to deal with. You can use a garden tool, or simply pull with your hands. You may not get all of the root, but getting the stalks out is a good first step.
-
2
Treat them with herbicide. The herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, usually referred to as 2,4-D, has proven effective on wild onions. You can either paint the stems or spray them down. This will discourage the stems from growing back.
-
-
3
Repeat the above steps every year. Unfortunately, eliminating wild onions is best accomplished over time. Pull the plants out of the ground and spray the stems each year until the bulbs actually fail to sprout.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The herbicides triclopyr and dicamba can also help get rid of wild onions.
Perform these steps faithfully every growing season. If you slack off, you may find that the wild onions have begun to proliferate once more.
