Nutgrass Infestations – Minimize With Inexpensive Spot Treatments
Nutgrass infestations in lawns and gardens are difficult to eradicate or control. This annoying condition is caused by the plant’s extensive tube (nut) root system that extends deep underground. These rhizomes or chain roots are the main source of renewal for nutgrass, more so than the seeds of its flowers. Because nutgrass maintains a continuous reservoir of dormant roots (nutlets), it has an endless supply of future growth. Therefore, when a sprout growth is treated or removed, another growth or two will sprout nearby. To minimize the growth of nutgrass, its root system must be destroyed, which is not a simple one-treatment task.
What is nutgrass or nutgrass?
Nutgrass is a heavy perennial grass in the sedge family. Technically, two common varieties of this (purple and yellow nutgrass) are called Cyperus rotundus and Cyperus esculentus, respectively. Nutgrass is also called water grass because it likes moisture, tight soil, and plenty of hot sun. It is often recognized as the taller, faster growing grass that appears shortly after mowing. Its grass-like shoots (three to five or more per plant) are slightly triangular or V-shaped with a strong vertical vein running down the center of each one. Often the yellow variety is a lighter green than the surrounding grass. Nutgrass is invasive. It will spread without some form of control treatment. It goes dormant in the fall of winter climates, but will reappear late the following spring.
Nutgrass treatments.
Five common treatments for nutgrass control are available to the homeowner and consumer. Each of the ones listed below can be performed safely. But none of them are effective one-time cures. In general, the two herbicide treatments listed below (4 and 5) appear to be effective means of controlling it at this time. However, chemical treatments must be performed safely by following the product’s written instructions for use. Herbicide applicators could also read and be aware of the material safety data sheets (MSDS) of the products.
1. By mechanically disturbing it. Plowing, cultivating, tilling or digging the soil and then sifting the roots of the walnut. This treatment works. But it has to be repeated frequently, which eliminates it as a lawn treatment and makes it impractical for treating crowded gardens.
2. Uproot or weed it. This treatment will make the breakouts disappear for a while. However, most of its original roots are still submerged underground. Therefore, these plants will soon be back, often more than before.
3. suffocating him. Cover the infected area with sheeting, eg cardboard, plastic, plywood, tarp, or mulch. This treatment will slow down the nutgrass for a while, but it will not stop or kill it. Nutgrass will punch its way through cardboard, fabric, plastic, and mulch. Also, its covered roots will lie dormant to regrow once the covering is removed or wears away. Also, the nutgrass will extend to the outside of the deck, underground.
4. Spraying it with a dilute solution of herbicide. Spraying the infected area with a chemical formula purchased at local garden stores is a common choice among busy homeowners. This treatment works well with repeated applications, made at the consumer’s risk. Applications are generally made when there is no forecast of rain or moisture. Also, commercial lawn care companies can perform this treatment effectively; actually, they are a good option for a safe and more expensive cure.
Still, the primary herbicide chosen for treatment must be compatible with the infested garden in question. For example, a herbicide will work well on some grasses, but will harm others. Also, a turf-friendly herbicide could harm your lawn if applied too often or too forcefully. Also, another herbicide can be used on lawns, but cannot be used near vegetables or ornamentals. Therefore, the spray applicator must be careful both in the choice of the herbicide and in its application.
Also, newer urea-type herbicides, such as halosulfuron-methyl, appear to work well on pecan-infested lawns if applied regularly and seasonally for two or more years. It can take just as long to minimize the root system of nutgrass, depending on how well you start. This type of spraying can reduce infestations over large areas of land.
5. Treating it with a strong herbicide solution. Applying a strong herbicide solution to individual nutgrass plants can be done with a narrow-jet spray bottle or a thick artist’s paintbrush. This treatment is best suited for light infestations of nutgrass or fairly small patches. (Note: if the entire lawn is heavily infested, it would be best to 1) kill the entire lawn with a total herbicide, 2) plow or till the soil while sifting the nuts, and 3) reseed after a short time . waiting period. Vegetation killers do not destroy the soil itself, but only the vegetation that grows on it. If you have any questions about this step, get a professional opinion first.)
However, during spot treatment of nutgrass, the herbicide solution must be applied to the nutgrass leaves directly, again at the consumer’s risk. The herbicide will then travel from the leaves to the stem and roots. Also, applying a little of the solution to the crotch of the plant leaf on the stem helps to kill the plant, but the bulk of the application should be applied to the leaves for good absorption that reaches the roots. Also, the applicator should keep the solution from touching surrounding grasses or plants as much as possible, especially if the chemical is a kill-anything herbicide.
Glyphosate (organic salt) can be used here, a well-known main ingredient of herbicides that kill all vegetation. A 12- to 16-ounce bottle of 41% liquid concentrate can be purchased for around $10 at local outlets. Glyphosate is fairly non-toxic to humans, but it still must be handled safely by wearing rubber gloves and other clothing. This concentrate can be applied to nutgrass sprouts by first diluting it with water at a concentration of 1:1 to 1:20 in a small container with a lid. First-time users may want to start with a 1:20 solution to test how the process works by trial and error, while working up to a stronger concentration. Also, homeowners with delicate lawns and ornamentals will want to use a dilute glyphosate solution to start with, such as 1:20 or higher, which is much closer to dilute spray concentrations. In addition, the halosulfuron-methyl herbicide mentioned in #4 above can be used for spot treatment of walnut grass by following the product directions to dilute to a strong spray concentration (0.9 g/gal granules). for around $15.
Some sources suggest adding other ingredients to this type of solution, such as adding a surfactant (dish soap), hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, or a particular salt to make it better adhere to the sheets or to help it absorb faster. . But, none of these additions are necessary. In addition, such mixtures can produce slight chemical alterations over time, which will give undesirable results by not working well or inexplicably killing adjacent herbs and plants. However, when freshly made spot treatments are done carefully, the nutgrass will die back in about one to two weeks without causing undue disturbance to the surrounding vegetation.
Six-day appearances of yellow walnut after spot treatment with 20% glyphosate solution.
- Slightly flaccid shoots; no color change
- Shoot looser; slight color change to amber
- The shoots touch the ground; the overall color is more amber
- The shoots begin to wither; the color is even more amber
- The shoots lie on the ground and begin to curl; only a slight yellow-green color remains
- Shoots are wilted, straw-like stems that lie on the ground or in grass.
Spot treating nutgrass with a strong herbicide solution is time consuming and requires a lot of patience to carry out, especially when the home/garden owner does it alone. Your neighbors will no doubt ask, “Hey! What are you doing there?” However, this fairly inexpensive treatment works well to minimize walnut infestations if the solution is carefully handled and applied at the discretion of the homeowner. Once the main infestation is under control, it is fairly easy to suppress any new growth with continuous spot applications.
At this time, spraying or spot treatment of common nutgrasses with carefully selected herbicide solutions appears to be an effective means of minimizing yard and garden infestations. These treatments can be carried out by the patio/garden owners themselves under their responsibility or by contracted professionals.