About Nutsedge

Although nutsedge closely resembles grass, it is in fact a member of the sedge family.

Yellow nutsedge is the most commonly found species in Connecticut. It can reproduce in three ways; from the base of the plant, by seed, or from a tuber found underground. This variety of reproduction makes it hard to eradicate, as complete removal of the plant must be achieved. Yellow nutsedge grows extremely fast and can reach heights of 2 feet if left uncut.

Yellow nutsedge is a warm season perennial plant. As soil temperatures warm up during late spring-early summer, germination of seed and tubers occurs from previous years plants. They will remain present in the lawn until the soil temperatures decline and the foliage dies back, leaving behind only the seeds and tubers which remain viable for many years. It prefers moist soil sites but will tolerate dry areas when it has already been established. Nutsedge will not tolerate shady areas.

In lawns with little occurrence of yellow nutsedge a herbicide spray can be strategically applied to the plant. However, in some cases large areas will be overtaken by nutsedge every year. In these cases, a pre-emergent can be applied to prevent the growth of nutsedge for an entire growing season. Please contact our office to see if your lawn is a good candidate for this pre-emergent application.