Virginia Buttonweed Control: How to Get Rid of Virginia Buttonweed

Virginia Buttonweed is one of the leading weeds that invade lawns in the southern part of the U.S. and can creep and spread onto lawns in a short period of time. Virginia Buttonweed is a warm-season perennial weed that begins growing in spring and grows through the summer. By the time fall arrives, the thick matted growth from virginia buttonweed can actually crowd out lawn grass in patches where it grows.

Not only does virginia buttonweed produces seeds but it also spreads through underground root systems called rhizomes. The weed is a vigorous grower and can easily tolerate very close mowing. When mowing it, if you happen to leave the broken pieces of plant where they have been cut, they can go back into the ground and reroof and continue the spreading.

If you are dealing with virginia buttonweed on your lawn, our step-by-step DIY guide will show you exactly what you need to kill virginia buttonweed quickly and affordably.

Identification

Before you can apply herbicides, you need to properly identify virginia buttonweed. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong herbicides for the job, costing you time and money. Below are some facts and traits of virginia buttonweed you need to keep in mind for proper identification.

• You can identify virginia buttonweed by its oppositely arranged leaves that are connected by a membrane across the stem with several bristly stipules.
• Their leaves are stemless, up to 2 and a 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide. In the summer, virginia buttonweed blooms with white, star-shaped, hairy, four-petal flowers that are stemless and a 1/2 inch long.
• Virginia buttonweed is a deep-rooted perennial with prostrate or spreading branches. Their leaves are on the thicker side and opposite without petioles and can be slightly rough along the margins.

Use the above description and image to help you in properly identifying virginia buttonweed. If you are having trouble, you can always contact us, and our lawn care experts will help to correctly ID your weed growth and suggest treatment options.

Inspection

After you have identified the virginia buttonweed, you will need to perform an inspection to locate where the virginia buttonweed is growing, how severe of an outbreak there is and what the conditions are that are helping virginia buttonweed to thrive. This will help you to determine what cultural changes you should make and where you should focus your herbicide treatment.

Where to Inspect

Virginia buttonweed produces by seed root fragment and stem fragments and often is an indicator of poorly drained soils. Virginia buttonweed is a problem primarily in transition zones and warm-season areas. It's a creeping, spreading perennial weed that will cover large areas over a short period of time.

Virginia buttonweed is known to spread through root systems called rhizomes so what that means is that it can creep underground and pop back up into a new area.

Virginia buttonweed can also spread when you mow the lawn as pieces can break off and if you're not bagging your clippings, they can re-establish or replant itself into the ground. Branch stems which are usually hairy and leaf blades which dark green on the top side and a lighter green on the bottom.

What to Look For

You should be looking for oppositely arranged leaves that are stemless. If they have matured, you will see a small white star-shaped flower. 

Treatment

Before using any herbicide product, make sure you first have on the proper PPE for safety (gloves, glasses, mask).

Because of the way it can spread by seed and rhizomes, hand pulling virginia buttonweed is not going to successfully get rid of it. The best option is using a post-emergent herbicide and spot spraying it rather than using a blanket application as this will risk damaging the desired turf.

Our top recommendation is a broadleaf weed killer such as msm turf herbicide which are an economical option that are focused on targeting broadleaf weeds.

If you are looking at treating virginia buttonweed on larger scale, we recommend Fahrenheit Herbicide. This is a water soluble granule that offers more variety to control virginia buttonweed because it can be applied at various rates and can even be used to treat acres of land. Fahrenheit is also only labelled to used on warm-season grasses, which works well since virginia buttonweed is a warm-season broadleaf weed.

Step 1- Mix Herbicide and Apply To Treatment Area

Msm Turf Herbicide is a high quality granular product that covers 43,560 sq. ft. of area (1 acre). Apply 0.5 to 1 fl. oz. of product per acre.

Measure the square footage of your yard and then input the appropriate amount of msm turf herbicide into the sprayer, then mix with water. For broadcast applications with Fahrenheit, you will apply at a rate of 6 to 12 oz. of product per 20 to 80 gallons of water per acre. For general spot applications, with Fahrenheit, you will apply at a rate of 0.2 ounces of product per 1 gallon of water per 1,000 sq. ft.

To mix, fill your sprayer about halfway with water, add your measured amount of product, and then fill the sprayer with the remaining amount of water until it is filled to capacity. Shake your sprayer to mix well, and pump to product a low-pressure spray.

Lightly spray your herbicide solution where virginia buttonweed is established. Use a fine spray with a fan nozzle setting for an even coating. Spray on a calm day when wind speeds are low to minimize drift.

It's best to apply products when it is under 85 degrees as temperatures higher than 85 degrees may do damage to the grass you wish to keep. Do expect some yellowing of your grass after application. Don't be alarmed by it as it will be temporary and your grass will soon be able to pop back out of it.

Step 2 - Follow Up Application

Virginia Buttonweed can be difficult to totally control because of its extensive root system, so repeated applications may be necessary to kill it off completely. Check back in 7 to 10 days and reapply until the plants have completely died off. Since Fahrenheit is a stronger herbicide, you will need to make re-applications every 4 to 6 weeks.

Prevention

To prevent virginia buttonweed from coming back, reducing soil moisture is a start as virginia buttonweed likes wet soils. Water your grass deep but infrequently. Also promote practices such as mowing high and fertilizing as this will go a long way and keeping your lawn strong enough to withstand virginia buttonweed and other invasive weeds during the growing season.

Key Takeaways

What is Virginia Buttonweed?

• Virginia Buttonweed is a perennial broadleaf weed is hard to control because it rapidly produces seeds but it also spreads through underground root systems called rhizomes.

How To Get Rid of Virginia Buttonweed

• We recommend msm turf herbicide to treat virginia buttonweed as this product is easy to mix and apply, is systemic, and will kill the plant all the way down to the root.

Preventing Virginia Buttonweed Reemergence

• To prevent virginia buttonweed, address moisture issues, mow at a higher height, and ensure your grass is nutrient-rich and healthy.