How do you get rid of yellow nutsedge?

Question

This is the first time ever seeing it in our area. Zone 10.

Answer 1

Nutsedge grows in sunny moist areas. The best chance of limiting its presence is to change either the amount of sun or the moisture content of the soil.
If you can shade the area it will reduce the yellow nutsedge numbers more than drying will if it has become established. If this is just a few plants try to irrigate less or amend the soil so it drains water quicker.
You can try covering them with black landscape fabric and a tarp to block all light for 30 days. The alternative is to repeatedly remove top growth in order to use food stores in the plants tuber. This will eventually kill it. Or hoe out the tuber.
There are two similar plants to yellow nutsedge. Green kyllinga (Kyllinga brevifolia) and tall umbrella sedge (C. eragrostis).

Answer 2

Oh joy! Call your Extension Service agent and cry on his or her shoulder, they are comforting. Plus they will tell you "rotsa ruck."

About all the homeowner has is MSMA or monosidium methanearsonate which is applied when the plants are still small....like before there are 6 mature leaves per plant. Well good luck with that! Most of us don't notice until the plant is flowering. (same thing with sand burs......don't get me started)

Roundup is in the same 6 leaf pickle. You see after about 6 mature leaves, the plants set their nuts below ground and Roundup won't get into the nuts. So you've just killed top growth and the nuts just sent up another plant......over and over and over. They are hard to wear out. Might as well have pulled the leaves than spray for all the good it did.

If you are by chance a professional and have a pesticide applicators permit, then there are some chemicals that might work such as SedgeHammer and Outlook. Not available to homeowners.

so the nontoxic way to to ho-ho-ho before the plants mature. Sorry. I well understand your pain......I'll send you some more plants if you wish.