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Would you try and kill nutsedge now, or wait until closer to the fall?

Would you try and kill nutsedge now, or wait until closer to the fall?


  #1  
Old 05-09-17, 07:21 AM
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Would you try and kill nutsedge now, or wait until closer to the fall?

Hi. I have a few large patches of nutsedge that I'd like to try and kill with Sedgehammer.

But, if I do kill it off now, it'll leave some pretty big bare spots, which I'm afraid will fill in with crabgrass, etc. over the summer (though I can spray the heck out of these areas to try and avoid that).

I recently did a week and feed so I can't seed for a while, though I could do so in June/July (not idea time to seed here in CT).

So do I just want until later in the summer, and if I do hopefully kill it off, I can then reseed in September?

I'm assuming it's best to try to kill it now as it may not work (or work well) and I might need more treatments, but I wanted to see what everyone thinks.

Thanks!
 
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Old 05-09-17, 08:17 AM
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Your weeds should be actively growing now which makes it a good time to treat. Just read and follow the instructions for the product. The only reason I would not treat now is if you have recently seeded or overseeded the lawn. I don't think Sedgehammer prevents germination but it may be hard on young, tender plants. Once grass has been up long enough to have been mowed a few times it should be hearty enough to withstand treatment without being harmed.
 
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Old 05-09-17, 08:29 AM
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Thanks. I haven't done any seeding at all. Did a pre-emergent crabgrass (Dimension) on 4/13, and a weed and feed (which also contains crabgrass preventer) on 5/4. Definitely wasn't going to seed with all that going on...

I guess I'll do the sedgehammer now and see how it goes.

Thanks again.
 
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Old 05-10-17, 06:55 AM
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Quick follow-up; if all goes well and the sedgehammer kills it off, what next? Do I rake it out? Will it naturally 'disappear' by the fall and I can just gently rake and reseed?

Thanks!
 
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Old 05-10-17, 07:20 AM
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If you are killing the grass you are going about it wrong. In my climate, nutsedge does not begin to actively grow until June. So my first treatment is around june 1 with a garden sprayer I mist the entire area that is known to sprout nut sedge. The first application should not harm the lawn, if it does it was mixed too strong or applied too heavy. It should be watered in with 24 hrs. In about 4 weeks, apply a second treatment. Water within 24 hrs. This treatment may yellow the grass. If it does, don't apply a third treatment for 6 weeks. If the lawn does not yellow, apply your third treatment after 4 weeks.

You need to treat nut sedge repeatedly and will never kill it without a backhoe, the goal is to control it.

Spot application kills the grass and is too late in the game to control it.
 
  #6  
Old 05-10-17, 07:50 AM
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Hmm. When I said "kills it off" I meant that the sedgehammer killed the nutsedge, not the grass (or are is nutsedge a type of grass so you mean nutsedge when you are saying grass?).

I have some big areas of nutsedge that I really need to spray the entire area (as you suggested).

Assuming the nutsedge works (or even if I need another treatment, or 2 more), what do I do once it's dead (again, since it's large areas for the most part)?

I purchased the packet of sedghammer that I'm supposed to mix with 1 gallon of water and then spray. So I shouldn't have an issue mixing it too strong, and will try not to apply it too heavy but, again, as it's mostly all in a few big areas, I was thinking of putting it on pretty heavy.

Thanks again!
 
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Old 05-10-17, 08:04 AM
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Grass is grass. Nut sedge is nut sedge. You cant seed grass when you have applied the nut sedge killer. You also should not treat new lawns that are not established. Seed in the fall.

You will just have a weedy dead patch until you can seed it in the fall. If one application kills it you could try raking and seeding it after about 6 weeks but summer is not ideal for starting grass unless you can water it constantly.

If you want lawn immediately, buy sod.
 
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Old 05-10-17, 08:16 AM
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Thanks again and understood. I wasn't planning to seed until the fall, and am only treating an established lawn.

I will deal with a weedy dead patch until the fall, and will then reseed.

Before I reseed, should I 100% rake out all the dead weeds? Or just do a decent job and then reseed?

Thanks again.
 
  #9  
Old 05-10-17, 10:07 AM
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I think you will be happier with a 100% weed free area when you seed. A combination of a hoe, rake, flat shovel, or very light tilling will prepare the soil. Seed then LIGHTLY rake or roll the ground before watering.
 
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Old 05-10-17, 11:31 AM
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So... it turns out that the father of one of the kids at my child's preschool is a lawn guy (or something along those lines). I texted a picture of what I think to be nutsedge to my wife who showed it to the guy who immediately said, "nope, it's annual rye grass". Do you guys agree that this is annual rye grass and not nutsedge? He also said nutsedge wouldn't even appear until July.

Thanks again and, if it is annual rye grass, sorry to have wasted your time on the nutsedge questions...

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