How to Control Soursob
We’re right in the middle of soursob season here in South Australia, and if you’re not keeping a close eye on your lawn, these invasive weeds can quickly become a real headache.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to identify sour sobs and, most importantly, how to get rid of them effectively. Read on to win the battle against soursobs for good!
How to Identify Soursob
The tricky part about soursobs is that they closely resemble clover, especially in the early stages. So how do you tell them apart? The key difference lies in the flower: clover usually blooms with white or pink flowers, while soursobs produce bright yellow flowers. Unfortunately, those yellow blooms only appear once the weed has matured, which is exactly what you want to avoid. Also, soursobs have small black spots on their leaves.
A better way to identify soursobs early on is by pulling one (and only one) from the ground. If you see a long, white taproot, you’ve found your culprit. That distinctive root system is a reliable indicator that you’re dealing with a soursob.
How to Get Rid of Soursobs
Controlling soursobs is no easy task. Due to their underground network of bulbs and bulbils (each plant can produce up to 20!), they’re extremely resilient and quick to spread. That’s why it’s important to act fast and consistently.
Let’s start with what we don’t recommend: pulling them out.
While it might be tempting, pulling soursobs can actually make the problem worse. Their bulbils can break off and remain in the soil, ready to reshoot and spread. So, skip the hand-pulling and follow the steps below for a more effective, long-term solution.
Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix to eliminate these weeds in a single step, so you’ll need to take several additional measures to effectively remove them. The most effective strategy for managing soursobs involves a combination of three key elements:
Regular mowing + Selective herbicides + Perseverance
- Regular mowing disrupts the weed’s reproductive cycle. It will also weaken the plant helping your grass to overcome the infestation.
- Selective herbicides are designed to target broadleaf weeds like soursobs without damaging your lawn.
- Perseverance is essential. Soursobs are stubborn, and it can take several treatments over a season to get them under control.
Here are some of our top picks for tackling soursobs:
The best time to take action? When bulb exhaustion occurs—just before flowering. This is the ideal window to mow and apply a non-selective herbicide, as the plant is at its weakest. This is the only stage that physical removal will be an option, by digging up under the plant and removing the soil around it as well.
Things to Keep in Mind
- You’ll likely need to treat soursobs multiple times throughout the growing season (May to September) to fully break the cycle.
- Their underground bulbs and bulbils make complete eradication difficult, so persistence is key.
- Monitor your lawn closely and act early. The sooner you intervene, the better your chances of stopping soursobs from taking over.
- Spot spraying is also an option, but it is important to do it extremely carefully, using a weed wand with an application of Glyphosate (Round Up or Zero), as it will kill your turf as well.
With a little (or a lot of!) patience and the right approach, you can take back control and enjoy a healthy, soursob-free lawn. Got questions? Reach out to our team – we’re here to help you every step of the way.