Get Rid of Mind Your Business in Your Lawn

Mind-your-own-business is one of the most frustrating lawn weeds you’ll encounter. This creeping, mat-forming plant with its carpet of tiny leaves spreads relentlessly and resists every selective weedkiller on the market. Worse still, mowing your lawn chops up the stems and distributes them across the grass, actively helping it colonise new areas. It’s definitely one of the harder weeds to tackle when identifying problem weeds in British gardens.

Also known as baby’s tears, mother-of-thousands, and the Corsican curse, Soleirolia soleirolii was introduced to Britain from the Mediterranean in the Victorian era as an ornamental houseplant. It escaped into gardens and now plagues lawns across the UK, particularly in damp, shady areas where grass already struggles to compete.

Identifying Mind-Your-Own-Business

Mind-your-own-business forms dense, moss-like mats of tiny rounded leaves just a few centimetres tall. The leaves are bright to mid-green, each one smaller than a fingernail, packed tightly along thin, branching stems.

The stems are pale green or pinkish and root at every point where they touch soil. This rooting habit is key to understanding why the plant spreads so effectively and why it’s so difficult to remove completely.

Tiny pinkish-white flowers appear in summer, though they’re easy to miss among the dense foliage. The plant produces seed, but spread is primarily vegetative through its creeping, rooting stems.

Mind-your-own-business is sometimes confused with moss, but the two are quite different. Moss lacks true roots and stems, while mind-your-own-business is a flowering plant in the nettle family. The distinction matters because moss treatments have no effect on this weed.

In lawns, infestations typically start in shady, damp corners before spreading into surrounding grass. The plant tolerates mowing, staying low enough to avoid the blades while its fragments get scattered across the lawn to establish new colonies.

Why It’s So Difficult to Control

Mind-your-own-business presents a perfect storm of characteristics that make control extremely challenging.

First, it regenerates from tiny stem fragments. Even small pieces left in the soil after weeding will root and grow into new plants. Hoeing or rotavating actually makes things worse by chopping stems into hundreds of pieces, each capable of becoming a new plant.

Second, mowing spreads it. The mower blades cut through the creeping stems and throw fragments across the lawn. Each fragment can root where it lands. The more you mow, the faster it spreads.

Third, and most frustratingly, mind-your-own-business resists all selective lawn weedkillers. The chemicals designed to kill broadleaf weeds while sparing grass simply don’t work on this plant. Professional lawn care companies face the same limitation, as even their stronger selective herbicides have no effect.

This means the only chemical option is glyphosate, which kills grass as well as the weed. You can’t spot-treat mind-your-own-business in a lawn without killing the surrounding grass too.

Physical Removal

For small infestations caught early, physical removal offers the best chance of control. The key is thoroughness, as any fragments left behind will regrow.

Use a sharp spade to skim off the entire affected area, removing the top layer of soil along with the weed. Mind-your-own-business isn’t deep-rooting, but you need to take enough soil to capture all the stem fragments. A depth of 3-5cm usually suffices.

Don’t use a fork or trowel for large patches, as these disturb the soil and scatter stem pieces. The spade’s clean cut minimises fragmentation.

After removal, fork over the bare soil lightly, then reseed or lay turf. Watch the area closely for several months and remove any regrowth immediately before it can spread.

For mind-your-own-business growing in borders or between paving, the same principle applies. Use a trowel to lift plants with surrounding soil, being careful not to scatter fragments. A sharp hoe can work for very small seedlings on dry days, but risks spreading established plants.

Chemical Control

Where mind-your-own-business has spread extensively through a lawn, you may need to accept killing the grass along with the weed and starting again. This is essentially the same approach as when you need to kill grass permanently to start fresh.

Glyphosate will kill mind-your-own-business, though the waxy leaves can resist absorption. Damaging the foliage before spraying improves uptake. Walk over the affected area or rake it lightly to bruise the leaves, then spray the following day.

Apply glyphosate when the plant is actively growing, typically April to September. Ensure good coverage of all foliage. The weed should show yellowing within two weeks and die completely within a month. For severe infestations, the strongest weed killer available gives the best results.

Wait at least seven days after the weed has died before cultivating the soil. Then rake out the dead material, improve the soil if needed, and reseed or turf. Be vigilant for any regrowth from surviving fragments and treat promptly.

Triclopyr-based herbicides also work against mind-your-own-business, though availability for domestic use is limited. Like glyphosate, triclopyr will damage grass, so it’s not a selective solution for lawns.

Prevention

Mind-your-own-business thrives in conditions where grass struggles. Following a proper UK lawn care routine reduces the weed’s competitive advantage and may slow its spread.

Address shade where possible by pruning overhanging branches. Mind-your-own-business tolerates much deeper shade than grass, so any improvement in light levels favours the lawn.

Improve drainage in damp areas. The weed loves moisture, while waterlogged grass weakens and thins. Aeration, top-dressing with sharp sand, or installing drainage can help.

Avoid introducing mind-your-own-business on contaminated tools, footwear or plants. Check any new plants you buy for signs of the weed in their pots, as it commonly grows on nursery compost. Clean tools and boots after working in affected areas.

If you’re creating a new lawn near existing infestations, consider installing a root barrier to prevent the weed creeping in from borders or neighbouring gardens.

Living With It

Given the difficulty of eradication, some gardeners choose to accept mind-your-own-business rather than fight it. In shady areas where grass struggles anyway, the dense green carpet can look attractive and requires no mowing.

The plant works well as a lawn substitute in damp shade, in Japanese-style gardens, or as softening around paving and stepping stones. It tolerates light foot traffic and recovers quickly from damage.

If you decide to contain rather than eradicate, create clear boundaries. Physical edging buried several centimetres deep helps prevent spread into areas where you don’t want it. Regular removal of any plants that escape the designated area keeps it under control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will lawn weedkiller kill mind-your-own-business?

No. Mind-your-own-business resists all selective lawn weedkillers, including professional-strength products. The only effective chemical is glyphosate, which also kills grass.

Why does mowing make it worse?

The mower blades chop up the creeping stems and scatter fragments across the lawn. Each fragment can root and grow into a new plant, spreading the infestation faster than it would naturally.

Is it the same as moss?

No. Mind-your-own-business is a flowering plant with true stems, roots and leaves. Moss is a completely different organism. Moss killer products have no effect on mind-your-own-business.

Can I dig it out?

Yes, for small areas. Use a sharp spade to skim off the top layer of soil including all the weed. Be thorough, as any stem fragments left behind will regrow. Don’t use a fork or hoe as these scatter pieces.

How did it get into my lawn?

It often spreads from borders, where it may have been planted deliberately or arrived in potted plants. It also spreads on contaminated tools, footwear, or in soil moved around the garden. Birds may occasionally spread seeds.

Mind-your-own-business tests the patience of even experienced gardeners. Its resistance to selective weedkillers and ability to regenerate from fragments make it one of the UK’s most persistent lawn weeds. Early intervention when infestations are small offers the best chance of control. For established invasions, you may need to weigh the effort of eradication against simply accepting this resilient little plant as part of your garden. For more lawn weed advice, see our guides to pearlwort, daisies in lawns and creeping Jenny.