Nut Grass

Weeds are one of gardeners worst and most common enemies because they have the potential of reducing plant yield by up to 75%. Weeds are spread by natural environment such as wind and water, as well as by humans, birds and animals.

Nut grass is just one of the common weeds that you should control and eliminate from your garden. 

The Most Common Specie of Nut Grass in Australia

One of the most disliked nut grass specie in Australia is the purple nut grass. This is erect perennial sedge that could grow as much as 50 cm high. It has smooth stems that is triangular and unjointed in its cross section. Its leaves have a glossy dark green appearance. It also has extensive underground stems (rhizomes), and tubers that have a purplish color, thus its name “purple nut grass.”

The growth of this weed generally happens during the rise of temperature, primarily from the tuber left by the mature weed. Unfortunately, a single tuber could produce 600 new plants, which is definitely a headache to gardeners. Moreover, in a single cubic meter of soil there is a possibility that over 50,000 tubers are hiding underneath it. Just imagine the number of weeds it will be producing.

Prevention and Control of Nut Grass

Although, it seems quite impossible to get rid of nut grass under your own care; there are still a few tips that could reduce or eliminate it. 

These are as follows:

Liquid Molasses

Some say that use of liquid molasses is one of the best kept secrets to combat nut grass. All that has to be done is to drench the weed areas with liquid horticultural molasses. Perform this around two to three times and you will soon find these weeds dying out without getting rid of the soil’s nutrients. 

Chemical Treatment

For some gardeners who prefer not to wait weeks before these weeds die out, find the use of commercial chemical treatments is the only solution. ePlants recommends glysophate, commonly known as round up, follow manufacturers instructions carefully. 

Take particular care when disposing of this weed by burning or placing it in  a bin. 

Mulching

Another more well know tip to eradicate this weed is to apply thick layer of mulch after spraying the weed with round up.  You may use thick layers of newspapers and then cover them up with leaves, grass cuttings or commercial mulch. This process suffocates these weeds and eventually weeds die out.

At eplants trade nursery we have a regimented maintenance program where we weed weekly to eradicate this weed and others . Where we go through all areas of our nursery routinely every seven days resulting in an almost weed free nursery.