Nutsedge is one of the toughest weeds homeowners may ever face. Closely related to grass, nutsedge are perennial plants with tuberous roots that can grow more than a foot into the ground. Nutsedge is hard to kill but super easy to spread – having even a small part of a plant or root tuber on a shovel or garden implement can lead to nutsedge expanding its hold on your property.
Purple Nutsedge Vs Yellow Nutsedge: What Is the Difference?
The two types of nutsedge you are most likely to encounter are purple nutsedge and yellow nutsedge. The obvious difference between the two is the color of the seed head, but there are other more critical differences between the two. Yellow nutsedge is by far the hardier plant, able to tolerate cold temperatures much better than its purple brethren. Yellow nutsedge has a faster growth habit and is more invasive. And just to make things extra fun, yellow nutsedge will shrug off herbicides that kill purple nutsedge.
Can You Pull Nutsedge Out of Your Yard By Hand
Long story short, no. Nutsedge is a deep rooted plant that can’t be pulled by hand. If you’re in the mood to do some digging and have only a small patch of nutsedge, you can use a shovel to create a circle 8-10 inches bigger than the diameter of the plant’s leafy crown. Then dig a foot deep and remove all of that material. Nutsedge must be carefully disposed of to prevent reinfestation from this point. You will need some kind of soil available to refill the large hole you have now made in your yard.
What’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Nutsedge?
This is a good point to coordinate with your local lawn service. The best way to get rid of nutsedge is using powerful herbicides. Targeted applications are needed to eliminate the nutsedge without damaging the other plants in your landscape. These products are formulated to leave the lawn safe for children, pets and people to use but really should only be handled by a skilled professional.
