The distinction is important, because herbicides used on true grasses will not be effective in killing nutgrass.
What Is Nutgrass?
There are two different types of nutgrass: yellow nutgrass and purple nutgrass.
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Both are named for the color of their seedheads.
They are perennials and spread viaroot-like rhizomesand otherunderground plant parts called tubers(or nutlets).
It is from these rhizomes and tubers that the new shoots of nutsedge emerge next spring.
Nutgrass can also reseed.
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Whereas a grass stem is round, the stem of nutgrass is triangular.
The leaves of nutgrass are more rigid than grass leaves.
The seedheads are also distinct from grass seedheads.
Grass plants also do not have tubers.
If you like that well-manicured look in a lawn, having nutgrass in it will be unacceptable.
But the problem goes beyond looks.
Nutgrass will compete with your lawn grass.
It grows in dense patches once established and is a faster grower than most lawn grasses.
This is why most people consider spraying with an herbicide the best method to kill nutgrass.
On the lawn, you do not have these options, as these would also kill your grass.
Halosulfuron-methyl is an example of an active ingredient suitable for safely killing nutgrass on many types of grass.
Just see to it you protect the good plants in the vicinity.
While hand-pulling will slow nutgrass down, only digging will eliminate it.
Dig down far enough to remove the tubers.
