They're Back - Wild Onion Removal - April 2021

Everyone has a landscape enemy.  For some, it is Creeping Charlie or Clover.  For others, it is Garlic Mustard Weed.  For others, it is Wild Violets or Plantain Weeds.   Or Nutsedge.  Or Purslane. 

I have ALL OF THOSE.  But, they're not my enemy.  

I have one weed that bothers me more than any other.  Because it is both everywhere and nowhere.  And I have so much trouble removing.  

It is the Wild Onion.  

And I've been on a multi-year crusade to eradicate it from my yard.  Yet, I can't tell if I'm winning the battle.  Here - below - is the very latest of the scourge that I yanked out of the backyard.

I have - so far - filled up a five gallon bucket of these Wild Onion bulbs and A LOT of soil that came out when I yank'ed them out.  

I've been at this for (now) three seasons.  Started in 2019 when I started to pull them out.  Then, I went at it again last year with removal. I've also tried to chemically alter the soil by applying Pelletized Lime over the years, too.  

With the newly expanded beds on the north side last year, I now have some Onion clumps popping up in those beds.  So, I've tried to begin to remove them from there.  But, also the lawn - where, I'm thinking that I'm winning a little bit.  The clumps are way fewer.  And the ones that ARE present seem to have fewer green stems popping through.  So, my sense is that my battle to remove them is moving in the right direction, but this will certainly NOT be the final year.  

Oh, you haven't had enough of my Wild Onion talk?  Head here.