Nutsedge in lawn

[Marilyn A 0]

Janet and I have had some emails on this subject already. I'm hoping to be able to tackle this new challenge organically, if possible. However, I've done some reading on the subject and it looks like a long process whether done organically or chemically.

 

Occasionally, over the years, I find bits of nutsedge in my grass. I dig it up and it's gone till another pops up. However, I now have an infestation in my entire front lawn.

 

Here's what happened: In mid-September, I hired a reputable (I've worked with them in the past) company to aerate and overseed my lawn. They used a grass slitting type of machine to overseed after the aeration. It was a Kentucky bluegrass mix of seed. The bluegrass hasn't come up (even though I kept it moist when we didn't get rain). However, I began to notice lots of nutsedge.

 

I overseeded my backyard myself, after the same aeration, and do not have the problem there.

 

The company owner came out to look at my lawn. He asked if I had used compost on the lawn as a possible source of the nutsedge. I had put down some compost from Bushel Mart in April 2010. This compost also was used as mulch in my front flower beds as a result of soil testing here in 2009. I have not seen any nutsedge in the beds.

 

I also use a mulching mower regularly and mow tall during the summer months.

 

Since looking up controls for nutsedge, I'm appalled at what I'm now faced with doing in terms of control. Any suggestions you or other readers have are much welcomed.

[Janet Macunovich 32]

The silence tells us a lot. We have only been able to sympathize with people, for nutsedge surfacing in a lawn. Which it can do after a dig-up if there are "nuts" even deep in the soil that have been dormant for DECADES. Absolutely not kidding.

 

Repeated digging or killing, including just repeatedly tilling the area every time the sedge breaks the surface, is the only thing we've seen work. And depending on how hefty the nuts were -- how much stored energy they have -- it can take years. We have seen that spring (when they first come up as the soil warms mid-spring) and early July as the plants are spnding energy making new nuts, are particularly good times to deal them a mighty set-back.

 

We did hear a couple of lawn care guys at a conference discussing how herbicide X PLUS herbicide Y gave great results with nutsedge. However, it's not legal to mix that stuff and we steer way wide of the "Synergy" of combined chemicals. Synergy implies not only more effect than would be expected, but also unexpected effects. Since with pesticide "unexpected" includes health implications, we don't like to think about synergism like that. And even with this "that works" combo, the lawn care guys said tey had to do it repeatedly...

 

Steven, mister Webmaster of the Forum, do we NOT have a spell checker here? Rats, if not. (Sorry to make you extra work, kiddo, but since you wielded your power to do the ha-ha of dubbing me "guru" I figure you must have extra time on your hands!)

[Janet Macunovich 32]

Some information for you here (with photos, now). Sorry that we can't offer any simple solution.

http://www.gardenato...o-no-nut-sedge/

[Len S. 1]

Trey Rogers, MSU professor of crop and soil sciences, in his book "Lawn Geek" suggests using halosulfuron sold as Sedgehammer as a control for nutsedge. It is available from internet sources. If you decide to try it, please post the results. Fortunately, I've never had to deal with nutsedge in my lawn. But it has been a problem in landscape beds when new soil was added.

[Guest dcsmith796]

The name Guest_dcsmith796 had to be retired

because of a program glitch. (Dang it!)

See his more recent posts as DSmith74.

- Janet & Steven, Forum Administration -

I have used Sledgehammer in the past, when I accidentally spread nutsedge nuts all over half of my front yard. It is effective of you follow the directions. Buy enough for at least two applications. I could not find it locally, at least not at retail stores. I think mine came via Amazon.

 

Like most herbicides and pesticides, it isn't 100% effective, and nutsedge is sneaky and grows in strange spots from which to recolonize, but Sledgehammer did knock it back enough to make it more manageable. I used it about five years ago and it is starting to get back in the lawn but I have not treated again since the initial two applications.

[Janet Macunovich 32]

Sledgehammer. What a great name.

 

Ever think about how much impact a name has on sales/use? Purpleblow maple is gorgeous but who wants one, when Crimson King and October Glory are available? Bloomerang lilac may be a great plant but it makes me feel like Willie Wonka ot even talk about it.

 

And "Pinkie Winkie' hydrangea. I've planted a few, because it seems to me to be a great plant, but I do not ever after refer to it by that name. I just can't call a client and ask "So how's your pinkie winkie doing?" I just can't.

[Guest dcsmith796]

Ha ha actually when I bought it I thought the name was a turnoff. Fixing anything short of a rail road track with a sledgehammer seems like gross overkill, no? But after I managed to seed it from foundation to sidewalk I was desperate. So I suppose, as a last resort, a sledgehammer can be an appropriate tool.