Nutrgrass in Lawns Good Riddance!

Q. We have had nutgrass in our lawn (Tiff type Bermuda) for many years. There used to be a solution that would kill it or keep it at bay.  I haven’t seen it for the last 3 plus years.  It seems unless we can pull out the root and little “nut” at the end, it just keeps spreading. Any suggestions?

Nutgrass in a Tiff-type bermudagrass

A. Used to be that nutgrass, also called nutsedge both the purple and yellow types, were common problems in nursery soils. Once established in landscapes they were both tough to get under control because of the “nut” you mentioned. If the top was killed, the nut would regrow new “blades of grass”. The top, which looked like a lawn grass at first glance, would grow faster than the surrounding grass, or a light green color, and became a problem in well-manicured lawns or other stands of grass.

Nutgrass with an attached "nut" which oftentimes breaks from the mother plant when it is pulled. Leaving behind the "nut" is the most common way for this weed to spread.

            The best chemical control is with a product containing “Halosulfuron-methyl”. Look for this in the ingredients of the product. It may be called a trade name like “Sedgehammer” or others. That’s why its important to read the ingredients of a chemical and not just the trade or product name. This product may be hard to find so it may require buying it online from Do My Own pest control.

            It will require more than one application to kill the “nut”. The top will die, and you think it is dead, but the nut may regrow new “blades of grass” in a few weeks so watch for it. It is important to follow the label directions for these products exactly. In the past the problem has been the resprouting of the nut after the top died. It is very important to reapply this chemical as soon as regrowth is seen, or the spreading of the nuts will make the problem worse.

            The hybrid bermudagrasses are a good choice for lawns in our area. They can use about 25% less water than tall fescues lawns and typically have few weed or disease problems. Just for your information, the “Tiff-type” hybrid bermudagrasses come in different varieties such as ‘Tifdwarf’, ‘Tifgreen’, ‘Tifway’, and others. Tiff type bermudagrasses are used on golf courses and isn’t the same grass as our weed, Common bermudagrass.