I have a problem with Coco grass, also heard it called nut grass. It seems to like sandy soil and may (probably) came in with sand when we built our house slab. I have some flowers growing in some rudimentary flowerbeds and the Coco grass is a major pest. I pull it by hand, but just as much keeps coming back..Any ideas, or if I keep pulling, will I win? Perry Thanks.
built our
flowerbeds and
Dear Perry,
Nut grass is light green, compared to bluegrass or fescue, the common lawn grasses around here, and grows quickly and taller than the turf grasses, but gets off to a late start, preferring hot weather. It puts out plumes on which reside seeds. The "nuts" are little nodules which are well underground. The stems are weak, so they break off when you pull on the green part which is above ground, but unless the soil is really loose you can't pull out the nuts. If you don't, the grass will just come back.
I give all this background to help you confirm that you actually have nut grass. If you do, apply an herbicide called Manage. In consumer form, it is a packet of powder in a water-soluble bag, all encased in a plastic envelope. It is fairly expensive - around here one packet costs about $14 and makes one gallon of spray. One gallon is about right for my needs, but may not work for you. Unfortunately, the system doesn't allow for making smaller quantities.
Manage is harmless to turf grasses, but I'm not sure about ornamentals. I wouldn't want to spray it around vegetables, just on general principles not from any specific knowledge. I use a pressure sprayer, but on localized outbreaks you can use a hand sprayer to direct the spray better.
I hope this helps.
Guy Bradley Chesterfield MO zone 6
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