Prostrate Spurge

An Annual Weed with Reddish Stems that Produce a White, Milky Substance

Weed Prostrate Spurge

What Is Prostrate Spurge?

Prostrate Spurge is an annual weed that sprouts in the late Spring, grows over the Summer, and dies in the Fall. If you break open its stems, you will find a white milky substance that comes out.

Why Do You Have Prostrate Spurge?

Having some Prostrate Spurge in your lawn over the Summer is normal, and nothing to worry about, as it will die on its own. If you have a lot it, here are a few possible causes.

MOWING TOO SHORT
Mowing short gives the weed seeds the needed sunlight to germinate and grow. It also reduces the grasses ability to thrive in hot weather. Mow high during both Spring and Summer, approximately 3.5-4.5 inches in length. 

OLD GRASS TYPES
Older grasses just don’t do well in the heat and don’t grow upright enough to tolerate tall mowing. Doing a Lawn Renovation, which replaces your old grasses with new ones that can better compete, is the best solution to reduce weed infiltration. If replacing the lawn is not an option, Slice Seeding your existing lawn will also greatly help the issue.

DAMAGED AREAS
Damaged areas that are bare are breeding grounds for annual weeds. Weeds fill in the soil to keep it from washing away. Spot seed any damaged areas in the Spring and Fall.

NEW TO ORGANIC LAWN CARE
The natural weed inhibiting compounds in our organic fertilizers take a while to build up in the soil and become really effective. The longer you’re on an Organic Program, the more effective the treatments will be at preventing annual weeds.

What Can You Do About Prostrate Spurge?

Prostrate Spurge is an annual weed that will die over the Winter. The best defense for annual weeds like Prostrate Spurge is to prevent them from sprouting in the first place. This can be accomplished by maintaining a thick, healthy lawn and mowing it high, 3-4 inches, during the Spring and Summer. Lawn Renovation would replace this weed with tougher grass varieties, solving the problem. You can also elect to Slice Seeding in the late Summer will thicken your lawn to help prevent annual weeds like Spurge from sprouting next year. Applying Organic Weed Preventer in the Spring will also help suppress germination. If you do have Prostrate Spurge now, the best option is to pull it. It is one of the more satisfying weeds to pull! 

Do It Yourself

  • Drag and Drop
  • Mobile Friendly
  • Custom Colors
  • Custom Fonts
  • How-To Resources

Ask Us About Issue