How to Control Nut Grass

Nut grass, also known as nut sedge, is a common weed that can be difficult get rid of since it grows rapidly in sunlight. The weed can be restricted by shade, but it typically grows in open field areas. If you have nut grass in your lawn you'll want to remove it since it can spread quickly to other areas of your lawn, attract pests and be an eyesore for homeowners. It's important to take action right away rather than let the weeds continue to grow. Mowing your lawn or planting in nut grass could spread nut grass seeds to other areas or hurt the growth of new grass and crops.

Rubber gloves

Yard waste bags

Organic mulch

Weed cloth

Glyphosate herbicide

Use a small shovel to dig up the tubers of the weeds from your soil. You should only need to dig about 1 inch deep to remove the entire weed. Wear rubber gloves when removing the weeds and dispose of them in yard waste bags.

Fill any holes back up with the soil you dug up using your shovel. Add a thin, 1/4-inch layer of organic mulch over the entire area where the weeds were. Do not spread the mulch over other areas of your grass or garden.

Place a weed cloth or woven black polyurethane weed mat over the area where the weeds were. A weed cloth can be purchased at a home and garden store. The cloth will help to reduce the weed tubers. Secure the cloth over the soil using 10-inch spikes and leave the cloth there for at least two months.

Use herbicides if the nut grass problem continues after using a weed cloth. Apply a glyphosate herbicide to the area at least two months after the emergence of the nut grass. Apply as directed on the label and wait one to two weeks before preparing the soil for planting.

Apply the herbicide again after three months if the nut grass still grows in any area of your lawn. It's important to wait at least three months before reapplying herbicide so that the nut grass has time to die out.