Nutgrass control - two new ideas

[P Ferrell]

Bill,

I don't have any specific recommendations on addressing the nutgrass, but I would suggest using larger areas for your "test patches". A larger area would help average out small differences, and also lessens any effect of a transitional zone between the center of the test patch and the adjoining areas.


Regards,
Patrick Ferrell
Allen, Texas

[Big Pink Monkey]

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote: No updates that I'm aware of, not that I'm aware of everything that's happened in 4 years. I think I'll set this up on a more active forum and see if I can get some people experimenting with it.

Google turned up a post in another forum where you were trying molasses and milk. I think it was dated 2005. What were the results?

About a third of my backyard is overrun and it's getting worse with all the rain we've had lately. I don't have any grass established, so I could dig it all up, but I really don't want to. That's a lot of digging and a lot of refilling.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I still haven't seen any results from anyone.

[bmarable]

I've been reading a book called "Weeds control without poisons" and according to it, "Appearance of nutsedge indicated soils seriously out of sorts with very low levels of calcium and phosphate and very high levels of potassium and magnesium. Iron, sulfate, boron, selenium, salt, and aluminum levels are likely to be high. Soils are also likely to have oow humus and porosity, high moisture, anaerobic bacteria, and poor drainage and residual decay." Just thought I would share for what it's worth.

[Big Pink Monkey]

My whole yard is infested, so I'm going to mark off a grid and try different solutions. What would I do to correct the soil conditions bmarable is talking about? I could try a square just doing that.

[bmarable]

You should probably do a soil test and send it to Texas Plant and Soil Lab in Edinburg Texas. They may be reached at 956-383-0739. They will give you organic recommendations for your soil.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

bmarable wrote: I've been reading a book called "Weeds control without poisons" and according to it, "Appearance of nutsedge indicated soils seriously out of sorts with very low levels of calcium and phosphate and very high levels of potassium and magnesium. Iron, sulfate, boron, selenium, salt, and aluminum levels are likely to be high. Soils are also likely to have oow humus and porosity, high moisture, anaerobic bacteria, and poor drainage and residual decay." Just thought I would share for what it's worth.

I've seen nutgrass growing in the center of the Guadalupe River.
Low calcium - no
Low phosphate - probably
High potassium - doubtful
High magnesium - doubtful
High iron - no
High sulfate - doubtful
High boron - doubtful
High selenium - doubtful
High salt - no
High aluminum - no
High moisture - YES
Anaerobic bacteria - don't think so
Poor drainage - it's a river
Residual decay - washed sand