25 June 2026 · 7 min read
Bindii in your lawn: how to identify and kill it for good
Bindii (jo-jo weed) ruins barefoot summer lawns with painful spikes. Here's how to identify it, when to spray, and which Buffalo-safe product to use.
If you have stood on a barefoot patch of lawn in January and yelped, you have probably met bindii. The good news: it is easy to kill. The catch: only if you spray it at the right time. Hit it in late winter or early spring before it sets seed and one treatment usually wipes it out. Wait until you can see the spikes and it is already too late for that season.
What is bindii?
Bindii (also called jo-jo weed, Onehunga weed in NZ, or by its proper name Soliva sessilis) is a small annual weed that loves Australian and Kiwi backyards. It grows flat against the soil with small fern-like leaves that look a bit like tiny carrot tops. You usually do not notice it until summer — when those spiky seed heads dig into the soles of your feet.
The painful part is not the plant itself. It is the seed. Each plant sets a cluster of hard, three-pointed seeds that act like tiny goat-heads. They are designed to stick to passing feet and animals so the seed spreads.
The big idea: once bindii has spiked seeds, spraying does almost nothing. The whole game is killing it earlier, while the leaves are still soft and fern-like.
How do I know it's bindii and not another weed?
Bindii looks a lot like a few other low-growing lawn weeds, so it is easy to mix up. Here is a quick guide.
| Weed | Leaves | Habit | Tell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bindii | Small, ferny, divided like a carrot top | Flat against the ground, in a rosette | Painful spikes appear in summer |
| Creeping oxalis | Three heart-shaped leaflets (like clover) | Creeping with thin stems | Yellow flowers, no spikes |
| Clover | Three round leaflets | Spreads in clumps | White or pink ball-shaped flowers |
| Winter grass | Long, fine grass blade | Tufted | Looks like grass, not a weed |
If you crush a bindii leaf between your fingers, it has a mild herby smell — a bit like crushed parsley. Oxalis smells sour like lemon. Clover smells fresh and green.
When should I spray bindii?
This is the bit that catches most people out. Bindii is an annual — it grows from seed each autumn, builds up over winter, then sets its own seed in summer. Once those seed spikes have formed, herbicide hits the leaves but the seeds keep maturing anyway.
The window that works:
- Best: late winter to very early spring (around August in southern AU, July in northern AU)
- Okay: any time the plant is small and growing actively, with no visible seed heads yet
- Too late: once you can see spikes — wait for next year
If you are reading this in January with your feet stinging, mark your calendar for late July. That is when next year's bindii will be small, soft, and easy to kill.
What's the best bindii killer?
Two things matter when picking a product. First, what grass do you have? Second, will it actually work?
For Buffalo lawns (Sir Walter, Sapphire, Palmetto, Matilda): you must use a Buffalo-safe weed killer. Regular lawn weed killers will damage or kill Buffalo. The standout options:
- Amgrow Bin-Die — the classic. Sold at Bunnings and most garden centres. Comes ready-to-use in a hose-on bottle or as a concentrate.
- David Grays Buffalo Master — a stronger option, works on tougher weeds. Concentrate only.
- Yates Buffalo Pro Weed'n'Feed — also feeds the lawn at the same time. Handy in early spring.
For non-Buffalo lawns (Couch, Kikuyu, Zoysia, Fescue, Rye): you have more choices.
- Yates Bin-Die (the non-Buffalo version) — the classic kill-it-all bindii spray
- Richgro Lawn Weed Killer
- Munns Professional Weed Killer
Always read the label. The active ingredient matters less than checking the bottle says "safe for [your grass type]".
How to spray bindii properly
- Pick a mild day. Not above 28°C, not raining for at least 6 hours after.
- Mow the lawn 2–3 days before, not after. You want the bindii leaves intact when you spray.
- Spray evenly over the affected patch. Cover the leaves, not the soil.
- Skip mowing for at least 5 days after to give the herbicide time to work down to the roots.
- Check after 2 weeks. If bindii is still alive, hit it again.
Why doesn't hand-pulling work?
Some weeds you can hand-pull and forget. Bindii is not one of them.
The problem is that bindii grows in dense, low rosettes that anchor with a small but firm taproot. You will pull the leaves off and leave the crown (the base of the plant). It just regrows. Worse, if any seeds are already on the plant, you will scatter them across the lawn as you pull.
If you only have a few isolated plants, a hand weeder can work — push it in deep, lift the whole crown out, and bin the plant in a sealed bag. But for any larger patch, spraying is the only realistic option.
Treatment plan by month (AU)
| Month | What to do |
|---|---|
| March–April (autumn) | Bindii seeds sprout. Nothing visible yet. Spread a pre-emergent (a weed preventer that stops seeds sprouting) like Oxafert if you had a bad year. |
| May–July (winter) | Bindii is small and growing slowly. Spray now on warmer days (above 15°C). Earliest is best. |
| August (late winter) | Best spray window. Plants are growing actively but seed heads have not formed. One treatment usually does it. |
| September (spring) | Last chance before spikes appear. Spray now if you missed earlier. |
| October–February | Seed heads are forming or already spiky. Spraying does little. Wait for next year. |
What about Buffalo lawns in NZ?
Buffalo is less common in NZ but you do see it in Northland and parts of Auckland. The same rules apply — only use Buffalo-safe weed killers. Yates Onehunga Weed Killer is widely sold at Mitre 10 and Bunnings NZ and is safe on most lawns. Check the label for Buffalo compatibility before you spray.
Frequently asked questions
Will bindii come back next year if I spray this year?
Probably yes, but less of it. Bindii seeds stay viable in the soil for a few years. Even if you wipe out every plant this season, seeds from last year will sprout next autumn. Spray for 2–3 years running and you will see numbers drop dramatically.
Can I prevent bindii in the first place?
Yes. Spread a pre-emergent herbicide in early autumn (around March in southern AU). It stops bindii seeds from sprouting at all. Look for Oxafert, Spartan, or similar at Bunnings. Combine that with a thick, well-fed lawn and bindii struggles to get a foothold.
Is bindii spray safe for pets and kids?
Most lawn weed killers say "keep off until dry" — usually 1–2 hours. After the spray has dried and you have watered it in (the next morning is fine), kids and pets are safe on the lawn. Always check the label of the specific product.
What if I have bindii right now and my feet are getting spiked?
Honestly, the easiest fix is shoes. Spraying now will not stop the spikes that have already formed. Mow on the lowest setting that does not scalp the lawn, bag the clippings (do not mulch — you will spread seeds), and mark your calendar for late winter.
Will a healthy lawn stop bindii?
It helps a lot. Bindii loves thin, patchy lawns where it can reach the soil. A thick, well-fed lawn shades out most bindii seedlings before they get established. So feeding and watering properly is part of the long-term answer.
Let Lawnova handle the timing
The hardest part of bindii control is remembering to spray months before you can see the problem. Lawnova sends you a reminder in late winter — exactly when bindii is at the stage where a single spray kills it.
Sign up here and we will keep your feet safe next summer.