Have you ever wondered what the term ‘nutsedge’ means? If you take great pains to maintain a healthy lawn or garden in the vicinity of your house, nutsedge is one word you should familiarize yourself with.
Nutsedge, also known as nutgrass, sedge grass and watergrass, can be best described as a grass-like weed that you will come across in most lawns. The weed is characterized by its triangular stem, which is why it is often mistaken for grass. Nutsedge grows at a very rapid pace and can be quite difficult to control.
The first step in getting rid of nutsedge is to identify the problem areas in your lawn or garden. This weed usually thrives in moist and shady areas. Once you have identified the problem areas, the next step is to remove the nutsedge plants from these areas.
Though this weed is known to thrive in turfgrass during the summers, it registers its presence in several yards during the winters as well. Regardless of the season, you see it growing in, you must find a way to eliminate it as soon as you notice its presence on your lawn:
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Varieties of Nutsedge
Primarily, nutsedge can be divided into two distinctive categories. One is the Yellow Nutsedge, which is also referred to as the CyperusEsculentus and the other is the Purple Nutsedge, which scientists refer to as CyperusRotundus. Removing both varieties of nutsedge proves to be a challenge. However, getting rid of the Purple Nutsedge is far more difficult than eliminating Nutsedge from your entire lawn.
A Purple Nutsedge plant features stems on which you will find a large number of nutsedge tubers tied to each other in a chain-like structure. Because of this reason, the speed at which it spreads is very high. Before coming up with a strategy to eliminate the presence of nutsedge from your lawn, you must analyze a few things carefully. Apart from determining the nutsedge type, you must also figure out the extent to which it has infested your lawn.
Eliminating Nutsedge
There are multiple ways of getting rid of nutsedge from your lawn. One of the issues that you face while trying to eliminate them is that they are very difficult to detect. Just like crabgrass, tracing nutsedge proves to be quite a cumbersome task. Young nutlets, because of their appearance, blend into the lawn or the cool-season grass growing on it seamlessly.
The process of eliminating nutsedge begins with making the soil surface wet by pouring in some water. This helps in softening the earth surface surrounding the roots and makes it convenient to loosen up the plant. After this, you can use a shovel to dig into the moist soil and uncover the different parts of the plant.
It is important to get all the roots removed. If you don’t do this, there will be a chance of the plant growing back again sometime in the future. After removing the plant, tubers, stems, roots and the other parts, put them in a bag and dispose of them carefully so that there is no chance of them spreading again.
How to Identify Nutsedge?
A common issue faced by many lawn owners is that they fail to identify when this particular problem strikes them. Since nutsedge is a grassy weed that is not easily identifiable, you need to be alert and keep hunting for it actively before you spot it. You must try and search for patches that look slightly odd. Grass, which appears to be lighter than the remaining clusters around, often turns out to be nutsedge.
You must keep an eye on the number of blades emerging from the stems. Regular grass stems or rhizomes mostly produce two leaves from one shoot. Nutsedge rhizomes, on the other hand, are known for producing three blades. To inspect closely, you could tear off the stem and analyze its interior along with its shape.
While regular grass rhizomes feature a round and hollow shape, nutgrass rhizomes come with a triangular stem and a tough interior. Keeping these points in mind will help you detect the presence of nutsedge in your lawn faster.
Manual Removal
Believe it or not, one of the most convenient ways to get rid of nutsedge is by removing them with your hands. This particular method works very well in flower beds where using a strong weed killer might not be advisable as it could ruin your plants. When you use your hands to remove nutsedge, you ensure that all the parts of the plant, including its root system, are removed. Though this process is a little time-consuming, it proves to be highly effective.
Organic Control Method
If you are concerned about the health of your lawn and prefer using natural weed control methods, then you should try using sugar which proves to be one of the most effective organic nutsedge killers. If you like the idea of using sugar, make sure you apply it during the spring season when the nutsedge plant has not grown significantly. Apart from being really good at eliminating nutsedge, sugar also contributes towards offering nourishment to your lawn.
Use your garden hose spray setting to make the lawn wet. Avoid soaking it with water completely but ensure that it is sufficiently moist. After this step, spread the sugar evenly across the lawn. To do this effectively, using a garden spreader would be advisable. If you have a very large yard, using a sifter would be a good idea. Once you are done with this process, spray a bit of water on the lawn again. After a month or so, repeat this process again.
Chemical Processes
When natural methods don’t work, you have no option but to invest in strong chemical substances that would help you get rid of nutsedge from your yard for good. Most of these chemical products can be bought from a store closer to your residence. A large number of companies produce chemical products that prove to be effective in eliminating nutsedge.
When you pick a particular product from a store, you must go through the contents of the label properly and find out whether it is made for eliminating nutsedges or not. If a product consists of chemical compounds like bentazon and halosulfuron, you can be sure of it doing a good job of driving away nutsedge from your lawn.
Use a sprayer to apply a chemical weed killer to your yard. It is recommended to carry out this process when the sun is shining brightly and the weather is warm or dry. This will help in drying out the weed faster. To get the best results, follow the instructions on the product carefully.
People Also Ask
What kills nutsedge not grass?
Roundup is effective against a wide range of nutsedges. The roots of Roundup-treated sedge plants will be damaged, causing the sedge to die completely. However, Roundup is a non-selective herbicide. It kills any growing plant that comes into contact with it, including your lawn grass.
How do you get rid of yellow nutsedge?
The most effective way to get rid of yellow nutsedge is by applying a post-emergent herbicide, such as glyphosate, to the affected area.
When should I spray for nutsedge?
For optimal results, you should spray for nutsedge when the plant is actively growing, which is typically in the spring or summer.
Does vinegar kill nutsedge?
Vinegar is a popular substance for eradicating poison ivy. It’s also an excellent medium for naturally destroying nutsedge in the lawn and garden, and it’s a wonderful dandelion spray. Its use to get rid of numerous other pesky weeds is unequalled, and it’s also great as a natural dandelion spray.
How did I get nutsedge in my lawn?
Nutsedge thrives in areas with abundant moisture and high humidity, but it may also be induced by overwatering with a sprinkler system, a lot of rain, or both. To outcompete nutsedge for space, food, and moisture, cultivate and maintain dense and vigorous grass. Low spots in the lawn that retain water also aid its spread.
How long does it take vinegar to kill nutsedge?
Vinegar should be used as a weed killer on freshly planted bedding plants since it destroys both. It harms beneficial vegetation as quickly as weeds, so keep an eye out for it when spraying. Allow one or two days to pass before repeating the process. The nutsedge should die in a week or two.
Is nutsedge the same as nut grass?
Purple and yellow nutsedge, also known as nutgrass, is a perennial sedge weed that is divided into two varieties: purple and yellow.
Does nutsedge come back every year?
Nutsedges can become a recurring problem if they are not properly treated. If your efforts to get rid of the weed are not effective, you may need to reapply the herbicide every two weeks or so until the nutsedge stops returning. You also need to keep in mind that nutsedges grow extremely quickly, so it is best to spot them as early as possible and eliminate them before they have time to spread across your lawn.
