Tackling Bindi Weed Before Summer

If you want to avoid an infestation of prickles in your lawn or garden, be sure to get organised and tackle bindi weed before summer arrives in full force.

A well kept lawn is often the pride of many homeowners, particularly if they’ve donated a fair amount of their time towards mowing it, fertilising it, and even aerating it. The latter in particular is a wonderful tool to deploy for achieving a healthy lawn, as the process allows the turf to be porous enough for oxygen, water and all the essential nutrients to penetrate down to the root zone, which in turn helps to promote healthy and strong grass growth. 

However, there’s nothing worse than finally achieving a green and lush lawn, only to find that you’ve also accidentally invited a few unwelcome visitors to take hold. This is even more relevant come summer, as your lawn is already under increased stress thanks to the higher temperatures, and may not be able to defend itself as well as it normally would. 

While weeds cost the Australian economy millions of dollars every year, on the home front it’s the dreaded bindi weed that is perhaps one of the most loathed – but what is it, and how can you effectively banish it for good?

How To Combat The Dreaded Bindi Weed

Known for its tiny sharp-needled seeds, bindi weed appears with small feathery leaves that almost resemble parsley thanks to it’s exposed, upward-pointing rosette of seeds which can be found in a pod nestled at the branch junctions. Both human and furry residents of a home are more likely to feel a bindi weed before they see it, as their ‘prickles’ are notorious for inflicting a  sharp pain on bare or exposed feet. Originally native to South America, unfortunately the bindi weed is now a common resident in many Australian backyards, particularly in summer. 

Although the dreaded bindi weed can often develop during the winter months, gardeners usually start to notice them during the warmer months. Once the seed pods start to dry out with the heat, this is when the relatively harmless leaves harden, and in turn become the sharp spikes that many of us are all too familiar with. 

As such, a preventative approach is often regarded as the best way to avoid a bindi weed infestation. A healthy lawn is your greatest asset when it comes to avoiding any unwelcome invaders, so aim to keep your grass a little longer before the warmer months arrive as a means to avoid bindi weed seeding in the first place. The bindi weed also thrives in hard compacted soil, so it’s also a good idea to aerate the soil from time to time with aerator sandals or one of the many other devices available on the market. 

A bindi weed infestation may also be a sign of poor nutrition in the lawn’s soil. As such, it’s a good idea to give the soil a power up via plant food once spring arrives. By fertilising your lawn, you’re allowing the nutrients and microbes to ‘wake up’ after virtually hibernating during the cooler months. It will also encourage your lawn to develop the strength that it needs to make it through the stress brought on by the heat of the upcoming summer. To avoid synthesised compounds and to stop your lawn from over-relying on fertiliser, try a natural plant probiotic like Biotic Booster for a safer family alternative. 

However, if you’ve missed the boat for a preventative approach and can already spot a bindi weed or two in your lawn or garden, then it’s going to require a little extra effort. If you want to avoid burning or destroying entire patches of the lawn you actually want to keep, then it’s worth considering a natural based herbicide – but what are your options?

Sourcing A Safer Way To Spray 

Over the last few years, there has been growing concern about the role that synthetic inputs play in our day to day lives.  From cleaners to bug spray, many households have been making the switch to sustainable and natural products. Unsurprisingly, the garden is no different, as areas in which we play, grow food and let our furry friends run around are just as important as inside the house. Thankfully, there is now a solution to controlling bindi weeds that doesn’t require the use of chemical based herbicides – and it actually works. 

Bioweed is the brainchild of well established agricultural leaders Greenpro, and is backed by over twenty years of research and development. Owned and manufactured in Australia, the primary ingredient of Bioweed is actually sustainably sourced pine oil, and is even approved by NASAA, ACO and APVMA for use around organic farms and food production. It works by breaking down the waxy layer on the plant cuticle, which is what the cell wall is made up of – and is traditionally quite hard to access. It has been proven to combat over 200 invasive weeds found in Australia, without potentially endangering any of the residents that call your property home. 

If you’ve been on the hunt for a safer way to spray, or simply want to know more about strategies for eliminating pesky invaders like the bindi weed, check out other tips and tricks in our online advice forum, or contact us for any further queries.