I purchased a home in Georgetown earlier this year, and I must admit that I have a new source of inspiration for news articles. It was one thing to write about weed control when I was sitting by the pool at an apartment complex, but I have a newfound passion for weed control when I spend my evenings pulling up weeds in my front yard.
The weed giving me the most trouble right now is nutsedge. I know I am not alone in this because most gardeners groan in sympathy when they hear the word nutsedge. Sedges and kyllinga are tricky weeds because they look like grass. Sedges (Cyperus spp.) and kyllingas (Kyllinga spp.) belong to the sedge family. They have an interesting triangular shaped stem and three-ranked leaves. They also lack collars, hairs, ligules, and auricles that are features of grasses.
Yellow and purple nutsedge are perennial sedges that form tubers in the soil that are connected by rhizomes. The tubers and rhizomes are the reason that controlling sedges is so difficult! To effectively removed a sedge by hand, you need to remove all tubers and rhizomes. If you miss some of the tubers and rhizomes, you can stimulate germination of more dormant tubers and make the problem even worse!
Sedges can be an indication of excessive soil moisture, so that should be addressed as part of your treatment program to control sedge. There are some herbicide options available to control nutsedge. Always read the product label for application requirements and conditions.
Halosulfuron-methyl is a systemic herbicide that can be safely applied to most cool-and warm-season turfgrasses. It might take up to two weeks before you see results, and it might require multiple applications for long-term control. You can find this active ingredient in products like Manage or Sedgehammer.
Imazaquin can be applied to warm-season turfgrasses like buffalo grass and St. Augustine grass. It might take up to two weeks before you see visible results. A nonionic surfactant may improve absorption by the leaves. Imazaquin is sold under the trade name Image but be sure to check the label and make sure it says imazaquin, not atrazine.
Products containing sulfentrazone can also be used to control sedges. These products are often combined with other herbicides to control other weed species. Sulfentrazone works within 48 hours, but you need to make repeated applications for long term control.
For more information about weed control, contact Kate Whitney, Horticulture Extension Agent at the Williamson County AgriLife Extension Office, at klwhitney@ag.tamu.edu.
