How to get rid of nutsedge (nutgrass)
Here’s how to get rid of nutsedge: stop pulling it, spray young plants in early summer with a lawn product containing halosulfuron or sulfentrazone, repeat when new shoots appear, and fix the wet, compacted soil that lets it thrive. Nutsedge (also sold and searched as nutgrass or nut grass) spreads from underground tubers, so the goal is to starve and kill those tubers over one to three seasons.
Contents
Is it nutsedge? How to identify it
Nutsedge looks like grass at a glance, but it is a sedge. Three clues confirm it:
- Triangular stem. Roll the stem between your fingers: it has three edges. Grass stems are round or flat. ("Sedges have edges" is the easy way to remember it.)
- Leaves in threes. Glossy, slick, hairless leaves grow from the base in sets of three.
- Grows faster than the lawn. In late spring and early summer, nutsedge sticks up above the turf only a few days after you mow.
Pull one up carefully with a trowel and you will often find small, round "nuts" on the roots. Those are the tubers, also called nutlets, and they are the reason this weed is so hard to kill.
Yellow nutsedge vs. purple nutsedge
Most lawns have yellow nutsedge, which grows across the United States. Purple nutsedge is less cold tolerant and is mainly a problem in the South and other warm areas. The difference matters because some products work well on one and poorly on the other.
| Feature | Yellow nutsedge | Purple nutsedge |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf color | Light green to yellowish | Darker green, shiny |
| Leaf tip | Long, gradually tapered point | Tapers abruptly to a blunt point |
| Seedhead (unmown plants) | Yellowish to light brown | Reddish-purple |
| Tubers | One tuber at the end of each rhizome | Tubers linked in chains |
| Where it grows | Nationwide, including the North | Mostly southern and warm regions |
Two grassy look-alikes need different treatment: crabgrass, a flat-stemmed annual that a pre-emergent can stop, and torpedo grass, a creeping perennial grass common in Florida and Gulf Coast lawns. If you are not sure, run the weed through our weed identification guide first.
Why is nutsedge in my lawn?
Nutsedge loves moisture. University of California IPM guidance notes that it thrives in waterlogged soil and often points to poor drainage, irrigation that runs too often, or a leaky sprinkler head. It is also worse in turf mowed too short, because a thin, scalped lawn lets light reach the tubers.
Look at where the patches are: low spots, the edge of a downspout, the strip next to a sprinkler that overlaps, or soil that stays soggy after rain. Those spots will keep producing nutsedge until you dry them out.
Why pulling nutsedge makes it worse
When you pull nutsedge, the stem usually breaks at the soil line and the tubers stay in the ground. Kansas State University Extension puts it plainly: pulling increases the number of plants because dormant tubers are activated. Tilling has the same effect on a bigger scale, since it moves tubers around and spreads the patch.
The tubers are tough. A single yellow nutsedge plant can produce several hundred of them in one summer, they can sit as deep as 8 to 14 inches, and they survive in the soil for years. Mature tubers can resprout several times, which is why one spraying rarely ends the problem.
When hand-pulling is OK: a few young plants in spring, before they form new tubers, can be dug out with a trowel or narrow weeding tool. Lift the whole clump with soil and roots, and keep checking the spot every week or two.
How to kill nutsedge in a lawn
- Treat earlySpray when nutsedge is young and actively growing, in late spring to early summer. University of California guidance is to treat before the fifth-leaf stage, while the plant is still building its energy reserves. New tubers start forming within weeks of a shoot emerging, so earlier is better.
- Use a sedge herbicideChoose a lawn product that lists nutsedge on the label and your grass type as tolerant. Ordinary broadleaf and crabgrass killers do not work on sedges.
- Time the mowingDon't mow right before treating, and wait at least two days afterward so the plant can absorb and move the product down to the tubers.
- Follow upRe-treat when new shoots appear, at the interval on the label. Purdue University Extension notes that it takes two to three years of control to cut viable tubers by about 90 percent.
- Thicken the lawnFill bare spots with seed or sod at the right season for your grass so new shoots meet competition.
Which nutsedge killer works best?
Two active ingredients do most of the work in home lawns. Ratings below come from Clemson Extension's nutsedge guide; retreatment intervals vary by product, so follow the label.
| Active ingredient | Yellow nutsedge | Purple nutsedge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halosulfuron | Good to excellent | Good to excellent | Slow: plants yellow over a couple of weeks. Many products call for adding a nonionic surfactant; follow the label. Repeat after 6 to 10 weeks if needed. |
| Sulfentrazone | Fair to good, fastest-acting | Poor to fair | Injury shows within a few days on yellow nutsedge. Do not add surfactant unless the label says to. |
| Bentazon | Good | Poor | Contact action; usually needs a repeat in 7 to 10 days. |
For purple nutsedge, halosulfuron is the dependable choice. For yellow nutsedge, either works; sulfentrazone shows results faster, halosulfuron tends to hold longer. Read and follow the label for rate, grass types, temperature limits and how long to keep people and pets off the lawn. In the United States, the label is the law. Our guide to weed killer for lawns explains how to match any product to your grass type.
Natural and non-chemical options
- Dry the soil out. Water established lawns deeply but less often so the surface dries between waterings. Fix leaky heads, redirect downspouts and correct low spots.
- Mow at the right height. Keep the lawn at the upper end of the range for your grass type. Dense, taller turf shades the soil.
- Persistent digging. On a small patch, dig out every shoot as soon as it appears, with the soil around it. Repeated removal starves the tubers, but it takes months.
- Don't bring it in. Check purchased topsoil, compost and potted plants for tubers.
Vinegar sprays and other homemade mixes only burn the leaves; the tubers resprout. In garden beds, nutsedge can push its sharp leaf tips through plastic sheeting, though a woven landscape fabric under mulch holds it back better (see our garden weeds guide). Glyphosate kills nutsedge foliage in beds, but it kills any plant it touches, including your lawn, and usually needs repeat applications.
Common mistakes
- Pulling mature plants, which leaves the tubers and wakes up dormant ones.
- Using a broadleaf or crabgrass product: nutsedge shrugs them off.
- Spraying too late, after the plant has already filled the soil with new tubers.
- Stopping after one application when a new flush of shoots appears weeks later.
- Ignoring the water: as long as the spot stays soggy, nutsedge keeps the advantage.
Nutsedge is one of several problem weeds covered in our lawn weeds guide, which shows how to keep turf thick enough that weeds struggle to get a foothold.
FAQ
Does pulling nutsedge make it worse?
Usually, yes. The stem snaps at soil level and the underground tubers stay behind. Kansas State University Extension notes that pulling increases the number of plants because dormant tubers are activated. Pulling only works on a few very young plants, before they form tubers, and only if you keep at it.
What kills nutsedge but not grass?
Lawn products containing halosulfuron or sulfentrazone, applied to young, actively growing nutsedge. Halosulfuron controls both yellow and purple nutsedge; sulfentrazone is faster on yellow nutsedge but weaker on purple. Check that your grass type is listed on the label.
Will a regular broadleaf weed killer kill nutsedge?
No. Nutsedge is a sedge, not a broadleaf weed or a grass, so three-way broadleaf mixes (2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba) and crabgrass products do not control it. You need a product that lists nutsedge on the label.
How long does it take to get rid of nutgrass for good?
Expect more than one season. Purdue University Extension says it takes two to three years of herbicide control to cut the number of viable tubers by about 90 percent, because tubers already in the soil keep sprouting.
When is the best time to kill nutsedge?
Late spring to early summer, while plants are young and before they build new tubers. University of California guidance is to treat before the fifth-leaf stage. Spray when it is warm, the soil is moist and the plants are actively growing.
Should I mow before or after treating nutsedge?
Skip mowing for a couple of days on each side of the application so there is enough leaf to absorb the product and time for it to move into the plant. Clemson Extension advises waiting two days after application before mowing; follow your product label if it says otherwise.
Related
- Lawn weed killerWeed killer for lawns, explained: selective vs non-selective, pre- vs post-emergent, liquid vs granular, grass type limits and the right ingredient by weed.
- CrabgrassHow to get rid of crabgrass in your lawn: pull young plants, kill it with the right active ingredient, stop next year's seeds with a pre-emergent on time.
- Torpedo grassTorpedo grass spreads from sharp-tipped rhizomes in Southern lawns. How to identify it and what works in bermuda, zoysia, centipede, St. Augustine and bahia.
- Weed identificationWeed identification made simple: grass, broadleaf or sedge, leaf shape, flowers and growth habit. Use the free weed identifier, then get the fix for each weed.
Updated October 3, 2026