Weed Identification – Part 3

What is this weed?

Nutsedge is a paler green than bermuda grass and grows so quickly that one or two days after you mow, it’s up higher than your bermuda. Nutsedge is also called “nut grass” or “water grass”. It is a sedge type grass that grows from a nutlet in the ground. The nut in the ground never really goes away. The amount of rainfall we have determines the amount of nutsedge you see.

Spring pre-emergent weed control applications do not control summer grassy weeds like nutsedge, dallisgrass, fescue clumps, etc. Nutsedge starts to show up in late April.

Nutsedge will spread rapidly on your lawn if there is no competition from healthy turf to crowd it out. It will also impact your vegetable, plant, and flower beds throughout the growing season if not kept in check. Nutsedge is most noticeable in ditches or any place where water stands frequently. Because nutsedge becomes more difficult to control once it is present on established turf, preventative measures play a critical role in management. Maintaining a thick, healthy lawn is the best defense for keeping out unwanted weeds.

The best way to remove small plants is to dig them up by hand or to hand hoe. If you hoe, be sure to dig down at least 8 to 14 inches to remove the entire plant. Using a tiller to destroy mature plants only will spread the infestation.

AgriLawn uses herbicides that can control nutsedge. Call us today to get this weed taken care of – 680-0077.