Landscape Management, February 2019
WEED AVENGERS Shut down sedges Yellow and purple nutsedge are grasslike weeds in the sedge family If left uncontrolled nutsedge can spread and return year after year Here are some tips to identify the yellow and purple varieties of the weed and keep your turf sedge free BY ABBY HART LM SENIOR EDITOR Lawn care operators can identify yellow nutsedge by its wide leaves with straight edges that abruptly come to a point LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET FEBRUARY 2019 24 PHOTOS PBI GORDON CORP Turf Ornamental YELLOW PURPLE NUTSEDGE KNOW YOUR ENEMY Grasslike weed but not a grass Triangular stem Shiny glossy leaf surface Warm season perennial Fibrous root system that produces tubers that can survive years in the soil and Can grow anywhere but particularly thrives in southeastern climates due to wetter soils and warmer temperatures YELLOWNUTSEDGE KNOW YOUR ENEMY Emerges in late spring and actively grows in summer Sprouts yellow seedheads Features wider leaves with straight edges that abruptly come to a point and Sprouts single tuber growths called nutlets below ground PURPLE NUTSEDGE KNOW YOUR ENEMY Purple seedheads smaller than yellow nutsedge seedheads Narrow leaves that taper slowly to a point and Purple nutsedge tubers grow in chains underground For this reason its typically harder to control than yellow nutsedge COMBAT STRATEGY Typically sedges thrive in wetter soils and poorly drained lowlying areas When laying sod ensure the turf is free of nutsedge tubers Check for drainage issues and soil compaction Check irrigation heads for possible overlap that may cause turf to become more saturated Consult with university extension experts to research the best products for your turf Purple nutsedge features narrow leaves and can be more difficult to control than yellow Be sure to use products labeled specifically for nutsedge Apply a postemergent herbicide before the sedges sprout tubers in late spring early summer or when signs of sedge active growth are observed in temperate climates around June 15 earlier for warmer climates later for colder climates Apply postemergent herbicides such as pyrimisulfan halosulfuron trifloxysulfuron sulfentrazone imazosulfuron or a combination product containing carfentrazone and one of the aforementioned products and Generally purple nutsedge in particular will need repeat applications of a postemergent at least two for acceptable control SOURCES Tina Bond Ph D herbicide fungicide technical service FMC and Eric Reasor Ph D southeast research scientist PBI Gordon nutsedge
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