Wild garlic and onion in spring turf: How to kill it for good
By My Yard Editorial Team · 7/28/2026
The Quick Answer
Spot-spray a three-way broadleaf herbicide with a surfactant in late fall and again in early spring. Expect two to three seasons — the underground bulblets don't all sprout the same year.
The Witty Breakdown
The waxy tube leaves shed herbicide, which is why one spray does nothing. A drop of dish soap as a surfactant makes it stick.
Digging works only if you get every bulblet. Miss one and you've just planted a new colony.
Step-by-Step Fix
- 1
Mow or bruise the clumps lightly before spraying so herbicide penetrates.
- 2
Spray in November and again in March when they're actively growing.
- 3
Use a surfactant or a product labeled for wild garlic specifically.
- 4
Repeat annually — this is a campaign, not a treatment.
Pro-Tip / Do Not Do This
Don't mow over them before a lawn party. Chopped wild garlic makes the whole yard smell like a bad Italian restaurant.
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