Does anyone know how to get rid of wild onions in lawns without having to dig them up? That's not practical. The space is about 3/4- 1 acre, riding lawnmower doesn't kill them and garden poison doesn't either. They are not fit to eat. They look like chives or bunching onions. Sure hope someone has an answer.
Just curious. Are these wild onions what they consider to be wild leeks? If so, put up an ad because around here, people go wild for them. Excuse the pun, but I'm serious. They are incredible pickled and are a natural antibiotic. Once dug up, they won't return.
(03/12/2005)
By Donna Marie
Round-UP will kill anything! (03/12/2005)
By Linda
Round-up will also kill off all the grass if this is a lawn they are growing in.
(03/13/2005)
I was told to put a thin dusting of lawn lime to get rid of wild onions, I have not tried it yet.
(04/04/2005)
Do your wild onions sprout a 4-5 leaf white flower? I have what looks to be the same thing in my yard and they are multiplying rapidly every year. If I dig up the whole plant it seems to work, otherwise if I pull off the tops they are like rabbits breeding. I can't spray Round Up because they are in my flower beds also. (04/17/2005)
By linifan
I have been told that the only way to stop wild onions is to dig them up. Round Up will not even stop them.
(03/03/2007)
I contacted a local nursery that has been in business for over 2 decades, they recommended a product called Weed Out. The only problem is that Lowe's and Home Depot do not sell it. The only place that we have found it at is Espisito's, a 2 hour drive from our home. (03/09/2007)
By wendy
My daughter just called me yesterday and asked how to get rid of wild onions. I told her Roundup, but to keep from killing things around, apply it using rubber gloves and a sponge. Rubbing vigorously will break the wax on the leaves and get better results. One lady mentioned her neighbors' onions smelling loud. The only way they will smell that way is if they are crushed or mowed. Mowing makes them smell wonderful and I want to fry up a mess. (03/23/2007)
By Andrew
Weed-be-Gone will kill wild onions, but you have to spray in early spring when they are tender and growing rapidly. It works really well on young bunches. On mature bunches you may have to mow over them and spray in about 4 days when they have 4-6 inches of new growth. Wild onions do come back over time, from neighboring property, etc., but this works for about 2-3 years. (03/24/2007)
By J.C.
I put on a heavy rubber glove and with a sponge doused in no less than 50/50 water and Round-up, I start at the roots and sponge the round up on the onions. They die pretty quickly and it only took me 2 springs to kill the entire yard of onions. It was time consuming the first time, but going back and only picking on the ones that didn't turn yellow was the way I got rid of them. That is now my system for undesirables. Spot kill. (03/27/2007)
By onion fields no more
I've gotten rid of them in two ways. Both work wonderfully. The second is a bit easier than the first.
The first time I got rid of them I dug them up. A whole yard full of them. 12" down. A yard of 20 by 45. I had the dirt hauled away. Had new brought in from 40 miles away. Gorgeous plan & it worked.
The second time I got rid of a much smaller batch, though still quite large. I used a great chemical killer. It wiped them all out, and their future relatives, in 2 applications. Bravo for chemicals in this case.
Good luck folks.
(04/02/2007)
By Chico Tim
I read that you can cut your lawn and a week later cut your grass again. I tried this and guess what, it really works. I cut my grass. In six days I cut my grass again. Five days later I cut my grass again. Now I don't have wild onions and I have not cut my grass in a month. Please note that I did not use chemicals. (06/20/2007)
By E Holt
Dig them up. Wash them. Sauté them with wild morels. Eat them. (09/16/2007)
By john
There is a product called "Image" manufactured by Amdro, that will do the trick. (09/17/2007)
By Bill
We have dug them up several times and they still return. Thanks for the tips in these feedback. (03/07/2008)
By Martha
Could you try boiling water or a steamer with a long extension cord? No chemicals and it might work. Heard it works for crabgrass and weeds coming through sidewalks. (03/07/2008)
I hate these doggone things. They are completely taking over my yard. Ah! I did some research online and found a lawn, landscape, and gardening website at: www.stwebsite.com that has a link and an answer to my prayers. "Kill Wild Onions, Wild Garlic, and Wild Leeks". I will give this a try. I have tried everything else. I might simply resort to eating them. Up to now that seems to be the only thing that they might be good for. LOL (03/09/2008)
By Steve Slater
I sprayed Round Up in the bottle all season one time and it did nothing but pucker the smooth leaves. We took the whole summer once and removed every plant, and I mean every one, but obviously there were bulbs left. We've learned to live with them. They appear in March and are gone by May. Our dense St. Augustine lawn hides them in summer. (03/22/2008)
By Kevin
Go to any farm store (like TSC if you have one in your town/city) or seed store and ask for 2,4-D. You can only buy it in 1 quart size which is more than anyone needs for their yard. Any size above that you need a special license. It will wipe out wild onions and most other unwanted weeds in your yard. It killed most of the onions in my yard with one spraying and after a second round they were all gone for the summer. Very few came back this spring and you can spot treat those. (04/06/2008)
By Mark
A 2-4-D based weed control will get them eventually. It make need two applications two weeks apart. You should add a surfactant to the mix to help it stick to the onions better. You will get better control. 2-4-d is the common AI in many selective broad leaf weed controls. (10/05/2008)
By wade
The safest is to mow every 3 to 5 days, two or three times. This injures the plant enough to kill the deep bulbs/roots. No showing plant, no photosynthesis equals no plant.
Chemical is costlier and still safe. Speedzone mixed at 1 to 1.5 ounces to 1 gallon of water, sprayed at 7-14 day intervals 2 or 3 times. Let dry at least one hour before letting children or pets on lawn. Turf is safe when sprayed, not doused. (10/11/2008)
By dtkb
To All,
I have the same problem in my yard. I believe what I have though is wild garlic and not wild onion. However, as an internet buff and an anti-wild whatever they are, I found a site that seemed to help me: www.killwildonions.com. I love looking for something, and simply adding the ".com" at the end. Worked for me. Just thought I would add my 2 cents for what it is worth.
Steve (01/25/2009)
By Steve Slater
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