Nutsedge is a perennial weed which over winters, meaning it will flourish year after year.  The root system is comprised on nutlets (like a bulb in your garden).

These weeds stand taller than the grass in your lawn.  They are yellow to light green in color.  The key identifying feature for this weed is their triangular stems. Roll the stems between your fingers, and you’ll understand the meaning of the old-time rhyme “sedges have edges.” In contrast, grasses have round stems. Shiny, smooth nutsedge leaves have a distinct center rib and form a “V” shape.

Nutsedge usually emerges in the summer months once temperatures become ideal.  If not treated, they will develop more nutlets from a single plant.  Pulling or weeding by hand only removes one plant and leaves behind the nuts.  Their extensive root systems may reach up to 4 feet deep! By removing this one plant, you have now rooted multiple plants.  Therefore, treating nutsedge when present only kills plants that are present and not the nuts. 

As with other perennial weeds such as Paspalum, this weed is hearty and is extremely hard to eradicate.  We offer a pre-emergent weed control program that will help eliminate this pesky weed over time.  This treatment plan will need to be applied annually until the weed is eliminated. Please contact us for more information.

Read More:  http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/weeds/cyperus-esculentus