i actually love this plant. I pull it up where I don't want it. Pull any future ones before it goes to seed. Try not to poison your environment any further.

For what you've already done, pull it up and throw it away. They pull up easily without digging, at least the variety I have, does. Make sure what you used to kill them isn't still lingering in the soil (I don't know how you'd know that) before reseeding. Others will be along to advise you.

I wish I can control it that way. They cover about 1,500 square feet of our lawn area. I don't use chemicals but all sources say that it's practically impossible to manually remove them in such a large area. There are probably hundreds of clumps, packed tightly, that took over the entire lawn. RoundUp had to be applied as much as I hate doing it. Now I need advice on the next step in this situation.

see video below from 1:20 - 1:44

I was wondering if we should leave the dead plant material, so good to know it's OK to leave it. We'll try aeration with a garden fork and then overseed the area. Thank you for this suggestion. Would you recommend adding a layer of top soil before overseeding?

As for herbicide, all sources I looked at (local cooperative extensions as well as government info about invasive species) suggested that, unfortunately, glyphosate is needed for this particular weed. I don't want to reapply it though and would try to control it manually if any clumps come back.

Edited to add: While I was posting my response I didn't see the link to this video. Thank you for that as well.

Unfortunately Ficaria verna does not respond well (if at all) to most broadleaf weed killers.........glyphosate/RoundUp or other broad spectrum herbicide is the recommended control product. And pulling up the plant - impractical in large areas - is not recommended either, as it leaves behind the little corms that will become new plants next season.

Just because I dislike looking at dead stuff all season, I'd get rid of as much as possible by raking. And you want a clean, smooth surface to reseed. Although now is a very poor time of year to overseed in most parts of the country....that is better left until early fall.....it is the only option (other than sodding) to avoid bare ground that will be an invitation for more weed growth. If you do aerate, do not seed immediately after. Turf grass seeds will not germinate if buried or too deep into the soil - they need to be applied only to the surface of the soil. Apply a thin layer of topsoil or screened compost first, seed, then cover with another thin layer or soil/compost and keep uniformly damp until seed germination.

Many thanks, gardengal! We posted around the same time.

Here's the plan: I'll do the raking/cleanup first, try to aerate with a garden fork, apply a thin layer of top soil, wait a couple of weeks when it gets warmer in May to overseed and then reseed the area again in the fall. Meanwhile I'll keep an eye on any remaining clumps to manually remove them.

Gardewnweb again shows to be the priceless source of advice. I cannot thank you all enough!

Just to show you proof that aerating and seeding work look at video below between :52 - 1:10. The seed is clearly germinating in the holes. Plus alot of lawn care companies I watch on youtube offer aerating and then right after they overseed after they aerate. When they come back later to the same propety you can see a big difference.

You could also buy a hand/foot aerator for $20-30 at a big box store. You just step on them and they pull plugs. Just do a little every day when you get time. Works better after a rain, not during dry times, They look like this.. I got mine on amazon

Randy, I oversee a lot of renovations and reseeding of lawns as a part of my business and I can tell you that aerating and then immediately seeding is NOT a recommended practice....at least not in my area. I am very skeptical about video and promotional info from "lawn care companies" found online as most are just trying to sell services that are unneeded or are inappropriate for the condtions. YMMV

Yeah I see you are on the west coast and I am on east coast so I can see what you are saying. BUT here on the east coast IT WORKS! Heres a professional I watch alot. He mainstainssome beautiful lawns.Check video out from 8:10 - 9:35. I am sure he wouldnt be wasting his time for something that dont work

Plus the first videos(silver symbal)I show is a standard DYI person like me and hes not offering services in any way. The pics in his video clearly shows seed germinating in aerate holes, Case closed

And I distrust YouTube or DYI video even more than those that are business sponsored!! They are often more garbage info than not!

btw, the case is only closed in your mind :-)

Its clear you just want to argue.. I have the facts above with PROOF, thats all that matters. Have a nice and enjoyable day!

Just because Ficaria Verna is shrivelling up at this time of year it doesn't mean the roundup has had an effect. It is a spring ephemeral and dies back after flowering. Mine also looks as if it's dying now but I know it isn't. This plant spreads by seed, by tubers and by bulbils which form in the leaf axils. Raking spreads it in my experience so keep the rakings where the plants already are and gather them up from there. Don't compost them.

How big is your front lawn? Could you sod the lawn?

After you get your grass going however you do it, whether seed or sod, You might try one of the stronger weed killer for lawns. Not just plain Weed-B-Gone, but the one for oxalis or crabgrass. If you have to use Round Up, instead of spraying the entire lawn, either spot spray by putting a slotted paper plate around the weed , or my favorite, paint full strength Roundup poison ivy killer on the leaves. I keep a bottle of concentrate and a cheap paintbrush to fight the trash trees, privet, and poison ivy. I don't usually use RoundUp, but if you are careful, sometimes it is the only thing that works.

It sound like you won't see it until next winter. I am fighting burweed that came in with a bad batch of zoysia sod. Good luck!

It's our backyard lawn... I'm afraid, a bit too large for sodding and I'd also like to make more beds in the future so reseeding with grass will hopefully help. We already had to spray it with RoundUp. I prefer non-chemical treatments but this was the only viable option in our case.

Earlier this year we had a warning in the WNY area about this invasive weed. Its flowers look cute in early spring but it's incredibly aggressive. I've never seen as many lawns in our area covered with lesser celandine as there are this year, almost entirely replacing grass in many cases.

Thanks also for alerting me that these need to be carefully raked. It does indeed spread in multiple ways. We'll be mindful about it and will definitely discard them right into the garbage bags.

This was most helpful from all, thank you.