Nutsedge has become one of the most annoying weeds in Chester County, PA, and there are good reasons why you should take care of it on your lawn.
Like any perennial weed, nutsedge will grow back and expand its territory every year. So, if you want to keep a lovely lawn, you may want to understand what you are dealing with in your yard.
Nutsedge looks very similar to grass, which confuses most people because although it looks like it, it is not grass. Most people think they deal with different grass species, so they are not too concerned about it until it spreads out.
Therefore, if you want to preserve the beauty of your lawn, you may want to learn more about this silent enemy of your lawn.
What Does Nutsedge look like?
If something that looks like grass grows faster than the rest of your lawn, there is a great chance it is that darn weed. The plant looks like grass. It has lovely green and yellowish colors and thin and long leaves.
The plant has a big root system that makes it notoriously resistant and challenging to eliminate, and that’s not the worst news.
It will grow back every year and invade your lawn if you do not stop it.
Like crabgrass, nutsedge will create territorial competition with your healthy grass plants. It grows mainly during the summer and will grow faster than your grass plants. If you plan to go away on a longer vacation this summer, ensure to have your lawn mowed during your absence because with warm temperature, nice sunlight, compacted soil, and a bit of rain, it can grow a foot tall within a few weeks.
Why Would You Want to Kill Nutsedge?
If you love procrastinating, you should seriously fear nutsedge because it will grow and take over your lawn. As it is true for every weed, the longer you leave the problem settled, the more difficult it will be to eliminate it.
Nutsedge is also a perennial and will grow back every year. So, the more you give nutsedge opportunities to grow and settle, the more the problem will compound over time.
Remember that plant species fight for territorial control, and nutsedge is no different.
It will try to suffocate the healthy grass plants that you want to prevail on your lawn. Therefore, one smart way to address this issue is to create competition between species.
Nutsedge will create territorial competition against your healthy grass plants. So, it is reasonable to think that you could do the same to nutsedge by helping your healthy grass plants to gain control of your lawn.
How to Control Nutsedge?
Nutsedge loves moisture.
So, the first thing you need to identify is the areas of your lawn that may retain excessive moisture.
What could these be, you may ask?
- Areas around sprinklers
- Zones that have poor drainage
- Lawn surfaces that are excessively watered
- Areas of compacted soil
So, the first helpful tip is to take care of these points and correct what can be fixed:
- Move your sprinklers around if you can, or repair leaky ones in case you cannot move them
- Ensure that your yard has drainage that works
- Avoid excessively watering your lawn
- Aerate your soil once a year
Then, the most common and effective way to get rid of nutsedge is to treat the area with specific applications that will take care of nutsedge. Different post-emergent herbicides will do the job safely if you correctly measure the amount of herbicide in the targetted area.
Once applied, wait for one to two weeks. You will progressively see your nutsedge disappear. But beware that it might take a few treatments to eliminate it if your problem has compounded over time. Again, nutsedge has a dense root system. Do not think that the battle is won if you cannot see the plant anymore. Nutsedge leaves are the tip of the iceberg, and you will win your battle against that weed once the root system dies.
Therefore a great way to battle this weed is to practice conscious and consistent lawn care practices to strengthen your healthy grass plants. We have repeated this many times, but promoting a healthy lawn through a lawn care plan will create inter-species competition. Again, nutsedge loves moisture. Therefore, refrain from overwatering your lawn. A healthy lawn needs less water anyway.
Your Takeaways
Nutsedge is a perennial weed that looks like grass and loves warm temperatures and moisture. It is a resilient plant that will not disappear easily. Therefore, employ a toolbox of solutions to get rid of it:
- Treat the problem of moisture in your yard
- Establish a lawn care plan to create inter-species competition
- Use post-emergent herbicides to kill nutsedge
- Aerate your lawn
If you live in Chester County, PA, we encourage you to contact our team if you have any questions.