How To Eliminate Nutsedge or Grassnut Weed

Grassnut and nutsedge weeds are troublesome weeds that can be difficult to kill. They grow in grassy areas, but they also grow in other types of soil, so it is important to know how to get rid of grassnut and nutsedge weeds. This article will tell you a few ways that you can use to kill grassnuts or nutsedge weeds!

First things first: What is Nutsedge or "Grassnut" weed?

Nutsedge weed is a type of grassy plant that has roots deep in the soil. The problem with grassy weeds like this one, is that they are extremely hard to kill and take time before your grass or garden will grow back healthy again! This means you should not wait too long to kill grassnut weeds. They are resilient against frost and drought, and they can plant their roots as deep as four feet into compact soil! All in all, nutsedge is a real menace to lawns across the East Coast. Lets take a look at some home remedies for removal!

There are several things you can do to kill nutsedge or grassnuts in your lawn, garden or grassy area:

- Cut the weed above ground level with a scissor or mower. This will take care of many types of grassy weeds, but remain vigilant if the nutsedge/grassnut weed begins to spread.
- Use a grassy weed killer or herbicide to kill grassnuts. You can use a chemical spray, but you should only do so if it will not harm your grass and plants in the area where you are using it!
- Use boiling water from a kettle to burn nutsedge weeds away. This might sound strange but this trick works best when there are a lot of grassy weeds in one area. Boil some water and pour it over the grassnuts to kill them off. Pour some salt onto the problematic area afterwards for enhanced effect!
- Use acetic acid from vinegar or lemon juice to dissolve nutsedge weed leaves away! You can make your own natural herbicide by mixing up one gallon of vinegar, two teaspoons of dish soap, one cup of salt and one liter of water. (The water is optional, depending on how much mixture you need. It'd make sense that a more concentrated mixture works best!). Pour the grassnut killing mixture onto grassy weeds on warm sunny days for best results!
- Use sodium carbonate (baking soda) on grassnuts to burn away their leaves. Mix one teaspoon of sodium carbonate with two teaspoons of dish soap in four liters of water, then put it into a spray bottle. Spray this grassy killing solution onto grassnuts and nutsedge weeds.
- Cover grassy areas with black plastic for several months to heat the soil and kill grassnut weeds. This method works well if you use it in spring or summer when grasses are actively growing. If grass is not actively growing, then this method will be less effective at killing nutsedge weeds because they can persist through cold (or warm) temperatures better than most domestic grasses.

***One Important Note: Don't ever try to pull nutsedge or grassnut by hand! The weed's roots have small "nuts" or seeds attached to the root system. Pulling the weed (especially when you don't get all of the roots out) ensures that the plants "protective systems" (procured by Mother Nature herself) go into hyper-drive and begin allowing the new seeds to germinate and spread their hold in your yard. These "nut" seeds can be as deep as 4 feet in compacted soil, and they can withstand drought or frost over years. They've even been known to be so strong as to punch through mulch beds and pierce weed prevention cloth over time. If you're unsure about how to attack the nutsedge problem in your yard, give us a call today! We'll be happy to lend a helping hand!

If all else fails, we recommend calling us at Clean Cut Cleanups. Rich and his team will work with you to identify all of the nasty and potentially harmful weed species on your lawn. We'll then set up a regimented plan (remember those 7 steps?) for destroying those weeds and keeping your yard weed free for years to come! We look forward to helping you achieve a healthier and greener space! Call us today at 631-626-4956.

Clean Cut Cleanups
Phone: (631)626-4956
Email: cleancutcleanups@yahoo.com