Nutsedge — a lawn weed that’s even harder than most to control

Weeds seem to be a part of everyday life with a lawn. There always seems to be some type of plant invading the carpet of grass. Like all things in life, some are easier to control than others. One of the hardest weeds to eradicate goes by several names and fits into a classification all its own.

This pesky lawn weed goes by nutsedge, nutgrass and water grass. The technical name is yellow nutsedge. The rainy July weather has created almost perfect conditions for this weed to flourish. It thrives under the wetter July period this year.

Although this weed looks like a grass, it is really sedge, one of a group of plants that have triangular stems. As the name implies, yellow nutsedge is pale green to yellow in color. It grows rapidly in the spring and early summer, often sticking up above the rest of the lawn only a few days after mowing.

Nutsedge grows best in moist lawns, often with poor drainage. The weed can also be introduced into better soil conditions through contaminated topsoil or nursery stock. As with many weeds, nutsedge is less competitive in a dense, healthy lawn than in a poorer, thinner turf. But with this summer’s weather it is popping up in all places.

Pulling nutsedge

Nutsedge is difficult to control culturally because it produces numerous tubers that give rise to new plants. Pulling nutsedge will increase the number of plants because dormant tubers are activated. However, it is possible to control small stands of nutsedge by persistent pulling. Pulling will eventually weaken the plants and cause them to die out. Unfortunately most people give up or don’t pull often or long enough for this method to be highly effective.

Using herbicides

Herbicide treatments are the best way of controlling this weed. There are two common products on the market for control of nutsedge. They will have either active ingredients with Halosulfuron or Sulfentrazone. You will need to read the labels as these chemicals will not appear in the name easily seen on the container.

If an infestation is not too severe, one application should take care of the problem. Usually it will take several applications and maybe a couple of years to clean up a heavy infestation, especially in wet years like this one. Be sure to read and follow all label instructions, as often it is recommended to apply when the nutsedge has reached the three-to-eight leaf stages for best results.

Since nutsedge is not a grassy or broadleaf weed, but sedge, many of the common broadleaf herbicides on the market will have little or no effect on its control. That is why it is important to search out these products specifically developed to control sedges. No matter what you call it, nutsedge, nutgrass or water grass, be sure to select the proper chemical and follow all label instructions for best control of this lawn weed problem.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Nutsedge — a lawn weed that’s even harder than most to control."