Why Sedges Invade Lawns

Sedges appear when lawn conditions favor them:

• Poor drainage
• Compacted soil
• Thin turf
• Overwatering
• Low mowing height

Fixing these conditions is critical for long-term control.

How Sedges Germinate & Grow

Typical sedge lifecycle:

1. Spring
   • Soil warms
   • Tubers or seeds germinate
2. Early summer
   • Rapid growth (often faster than grass)
3. Mid-summer
   • Produces seed heads
   • Forms new tubers underground
4. Fall
   • Stores energy in tubers for next year

A single nutsedge plant can produce hundreds of new tubers, which is why pulling it can make the problem worse.

How to Kill Sedges in Lawns

• Killing of sedges such as Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), Green kyllinga (Kyllinga brevifolia), and False green kyllinga (Kyllinga gracillima) often involves herbicides specifically designed to target sedge species.

• Some of the most effective products contain active ingredients such as Halosulfuron-methyl, Sulfentrazone, or Bentazon.

• Many of the strongest and most effective herbicides used for sedge control are classified as Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These products may only be purchased and applied by individuals who hold a valid pesticide applicator license.

• Because of this restriction, treatment with these products must be performed by a licensed pesticide applicator who has received training in the proper handling and use of these materials.

Cultural Control (Very Important)

Improve lawn conditions:

✔ Reduce overwatering
✔ Aerate compacted soil
✔ Improve drainage
✔ Mow at correct height
✔ Maintain thick turf

Healthy turf crowds out sedges.

Long-Term Removal Strategy

Best approach:

1. Fix drainage problems
2. Aerate lawn
3. Apply selective sedge herbicide
4. Overseed lawn in fall
5. Maintain thicker turf

After 1–2 seasons, sedges usually decline significantly.

Why Many Homeowners Do Not Notice Sedges in Lawns

In New Jersey, lawns are typically mowed on a weekly schedule during the growing season. Because of this frequent mowing, many homeowners may not realize that sedges are present in their turf.

Sedges will be difficult to identify when lawns are regularly cut. When mowing occurs weekly, the plants are trimmed along with the surrounding turfgrass, which can make them blend in with the existing lawn.

However, sedges typically grow faster than most cool-season turfgrasses commonly found in New Jersey lawns.

After mowing, sedge plants often regrow more rapidly than the surrounding grass, causing them to extend slightly above the turf canopy within a few days. This faster vertical growth can make sedges appear as patches or individual blades that stand taller than the rest of the lawn between mowing cycles.

This difference in growth rate is one of the most common visual indicators that sedges are present in a lawn.