By Kyle Caldwell, Owner & Agronomist, Century Outdoor Services | Austin, TX
If I had to pick my least favorite summer weed in Austin, it would probably be Spurge.
Every year, as temperatures climb into the upper 90s and triple digits, I start seeing this weed pop up across lawns throughout Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Dripping Springs, Georgetown, Cedar Park, and the surrounding areas. What starts as a tiny seedling can quickly become a large mat of weeds that spreads across your lawn in just a few weeks.
The frustrating part is that spurge isn’t necessarily difficult to kill. The challenge is controlling it safely during the hottest part of the Texas summer.
As the owner and Director of Agronomy at Century Outdoor Services, I want to explain why spurge becomes such a problem in Central Texas lawns, why it thrives in certain conditions, and what you can do to prevent it.
Spurge is a summer annual broadleaf weed that germinates when soil temperatures rise in late spring and early summer.
It grows low to the ground and spreads outward from a central root system, forming a dense mat that can quickly cover open areas of turf. If left untreated, a single plant can grow to the size of a sheet of paper or larger in only a few weeks.
One reason spurge is so persistent is its ability to produce thousands of tiny seeds. These seeds are incredibly small and can germinate in the thatch layer of your lawn, making complete prevention difficult.
Even lawns that receive professional pre-emergent applications can occasionally develop spurge during the summer months.
Over the years, I’ve noticed that spurge is most common in lawns with thin turf coverage.
Healthy, dense turfgrass is one of the best defenses against weeds. When grass is thick and actively growing, it shades the soil surface and prevents weed seeds from receiving the sunlight they need to germinate.
Spurge tends to appear in:
Interestingly, I don’t often see severe spurge infestations in dense St. Augustine or Zoysia lawns. The biggest problems typically occur in Bermuda grass that has open areas where sunlight can reach the soil surface.
At Century Outdoor Services, our Fertilization and Weed Control Program includes multiple pre-emergent applications throughout the year.
While pre-emergent treatments significantly reduce spurge pressure, they aren’t always 100% effective against every seed.
Spurge has extremely small seeds that can germinate within the thatch layer of the lawn. Because of this, some seedlings may emerge above the pre-emergent barrier.
This is why homeowners occasionally see a few spurge plants even when they’re on a professional weed control program.
The goal isn’t necessarily zero weed pressure. The goal is dramatically reducing the number of weeds that emerge and preventing them from taking over the lawn.
This is where things get tricky.
Most traditional broadleaf weed control products containing 2,4-D work very well on spurge. In fact, if our summer temperatures stayed around 80 degrees, controlling spurge would be relatively simple.
The problem is that Austin summers aren’t 80 degrees.
When temperatures reach 95, 100, or even 105 degrees, many broadleaf herbicides can stress or injure desirable turfgrass. Applying the wrong product during extreme heat can cause turf discoloration, burn, or severe damage.
As lawn care professionals, we have to balance effective weed control with protecting the health of the lawn.
After years of testing different approaches, we’ve found a treatment combination that provides excellent spurge control while remaining safe for Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia grass.
We utilize a combination of broadleaf herbicides and Recognition® herbicide technology.
Recognition contains a safener that helps protect desirable turfgrass from injury while enhancing weed control performance. This allows us to target spurge even during the hottest months of the year when many traditional treatments become riskier.
The downside is cost.
Recognition is significantly more expensive than traditional weed control products, but in our experience, it provides some of the best summer spurge control available for Central Texas lawns.
For us, delivering results for our customers is worth the additional investment.
The best spurge control strategy isn’t actually spraying weeds.
It’s creating a lawn where spurge doesn’t want to grow in the first place.
Homeowners can reduce spurge pressure by focusing on:
Mow Weekly
Regular mowing encourages thicker turf growth and reduces open areas where weed seeds can germinate.
Water Properly
Drought-stressed Bermuda grass is far more vulnerable to spurge invasion. Deep, infrequent watering helps maintain healthy turf density.
Follow a Fertilizer Program
Proper nutrition promotes thicker turf and stronger root systems, helping your lawn out compete weeds naturally.
Improve Turf Density
The thicker your lawn becomes, the less sunlight reaches the soil surface. Less sunlight means fewer opportunities for spurge seeds to germinate.
Spurge is one of the most frustrating summer weeds we deal with in Austin-area lawns.
It grows quickly, produces thousands of seeds, and thrives in hot, sunny conditions. While professional weed control treatments can effectively eliminate existing plants, the long-term solution is maintaining a thick, healthy lawn that naturally suppresses weed growth.
If you’re seeing spurge take over your Bermuda grass this summer, don’t wait too long. A small plant can become a large infestation surprisingly fast.
At Century Outdoor Services, we help homeowners throughout Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Dripping Springs, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle, and Buda keep their lawns healthy and weed-free year-round through our professional Fertilization and Weed Control Program.
If you have questions about spurge or other lawn weeds, we’d be happy to help.
Spurge is a summer annual broadleaf weed that spreads quickly in thin or stressed lawns throughout Austin and Central Texas.
Bermuda lawns with open canopy areas allow sunlight to reach the soil, creating ideal conditions for spurge seed germination.
Pre-emergent significantly reduces spurge but may not stop every seed because spurge can germinate in the lawn’s thatch layer.
Broadleaf herbicides containing 2,4-D are highly effective, but special care must be taken during Austin’s extreme summer temperatures to avoid turf damage.
Maintain a dense lawn through proper mowing, watering, fertilization, and pre-emergent weed control applications.
For Weed Control and Fertilization, Aeration, and Moisture Manager, the price is calculated by every 1,000 ft². Click here to see how we determine our prices.
If you’d like to receive an estimate, you can call us at (512) 786-1694 or send us a quick message.
No, Century does not require contracts for residential services. We set up a Service Agreement for your property based on the services accepted. This agreement requests at least a 24-hour notice of cancellation of service.
We’ve provided the most reliable weed control & fertilization to customers in Austin, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, and nearby areas in Texas since 2013.
