Things You'll Need
Post-emergent herbicide
Lawn mower
Spade
Starter fertilizer
Tiller
Grass seeds
Compost
Fertilizer
Rotary spreader
Pre-emergent herbicide
Garbage bag
Bindi weeds, or lawn burweeds, are annual broadleaf plants that pop up in the winter. Gardeners often have a problem with this low-growing plant, because it produces sharp fruit which can puncture skin. You can identify this weed by its spiny flower heads. It is important to remove bindi weeds from the yard to prevent weeds from crowding out your turf grass. Proper cultural practices such as fertilizing, mowing and appropriate watering reduce bindi population and make your lawn look good.
Step 1
Spray a post-emergent selective herbicide that contains dicamba on your bindi weeds. Pick a dry day to apply the herbicide. Reapply the herbicide according to directions.
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Step 2
Dig up the dead bindi weeds from the yard using a spade. Mow the surrounding grass down to 2 inches to prevent the grass from competing with your new grass seedlings. Broadcast a starter fertilizer that has a NPK amount of 10-20-10 on the bare area at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Till the starter fertilizer into the first 2 to 4 inches of top soil.
Step 3
Distribute your grass seed over the bare areas. Cover with 1/8 inch of compost and water the area. Keep the area watered to encourage grass seed germination.
Step 4
Fertilize your lawn with a fertilizer that contains slow-release nitrogen. Distribute the nitrogen at a rate of 1 pound per 1,000 square feet, and water the lawn.
Step 5
Mow your lawn when it reaches 4½ inches; mow down to 3 inches to encourage healthy, lush-growing grass blades. Keep the lawn clippings on the lawn to contribute extra nitrogen.
Tip
Spray your lawn at the end of summer with a pre-emergent herbicide that prevents bindi broadleaf weed seeds from germinating. Use a herbicide that contains benefin.
Warning
Throw away the dead bindi debris. Avoid placing it in your compost, because the seeds will spread over the lawn and reseed it.
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