North Carolina
Sedge
Family Branch
Has 40 Species
Dear Plant Doctor: I am enclos
ing a sample of my problem weed,
cock-o-bur, as we called them out
West. They are spreading rapidly in
my ccntipedcgrass lawn. I was told
to try Weed-be-Kill this spring but it
has not done any good. Would ap
preciate any help you can give me.
Enjoy your column. Thanks.
? Hampstead
ANSWER: The weed you sent
me is commonly known "Out East"
as nutsedge or nutgrass (Cypcrus es
culentus). Nutsedge is a member of
the sedge family, and in North
Carolina this sedge family branch
contains over 40 species. Many
species of sedge can be weedy in
vaders of the home lawn.
The sedges are distinctly different
from grasses and other broadleaf
plants. Sedges can be easily identi
fied by their triangular stem. I know
of no other plant species with this
characteristic. Most species of sedge
prefer acid moist soils but many can
easily adapt to sandy drought-prone
soils without difficulty. Because
sedges are so different from other
plants, few herbicides are effective
killing them
Several methods arc available for
control of weedy sedges in turfgrass:
? Sedges can be controlled in the
lawn by constant hand removal.
? Turkeys, hogs and deer are es
pecially fond of the starchy tuber or
"nut" around the base of nutsedge.
Animals will "root out" nearly every
sprig of nutsedge in your lawn but in
the process leave very little grass.
Chufa is the name for the cultivat
ed type of nutsedge many hunt clubs
and nature buffs plant to attract
wildlife
? For most lawn grasses, the her
bicides benta/nn (Basagran) or
imazaquin (Image) will kill many
(but not all) species of sedge. Bas
agran will kill all species of nut
sedge except purple nutsedge. Image
is effective on all species of sedge
In bermudagravs or zoysiagrass,
MSMA or similar arsenical herbi
cides can he effectively used for
sedge control.
Nutsedge and its relatives are ex
tremely difficult to control and, once
established, routine treatment will
be required for several years to ef
fectively remove the weed with any
of the herbicides
Dear Plant Doctor: We have a
problem with our grass disappearing
in large sections What is left are
holes in the ground ab?Hit 0.25 inch
es io diameter and hundreds of small
tunnels These tunnels occur just un
der the surfare and aia.se the soil k>
become very soft The problem is
spreading fast. What could cause
this and what can we do to stop it?
? Bolivia
ANSWER: Sounds like the
tawny mole cricket (Scanitriscus
acinus). Entomologists throughout
the southeastern United States agree
the tawny mole cricket is quickly
becoming the number-one insect
pest of warm-season grass lawns. A
native to South America, the tawny
mole cricket has been a serious pest
of grasses and other crops in Florida
for nearly 75 years Experts estimate
this single insect pest is costing
Florida home owners and turfgrass
managers 60 to 70 million dollars
annually.
For some unknown reason, the
tawny mole cricket started a north
ern campaign during the 1980s and
was first identified as a major pest
species in Brunswick county in
1987. Two other specics of mole
cricket occur in North Carolina but
neither is destructive as the tawny
mole cricket. Damage to turfgrass
from the tawny mole cricket is most
evident during warm autumn and
spring days immediately following a
rain. Moist soil and warm weather
are conducive to creating a feeding
frenzy in these insects.
North Carolina State University
and Cornell University are presently
involved in a joint three year re
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THE
PLANT
DOCTOR
C BRUCE
WILLIAMS
Bntmjiom Arm
Turf Specialist
m
search project funded by a United
States Golf Association grant to in
vestigate the biology and behavior
ot the tawny mole cricket. The ma
jor thrust of this cooperative re
search effort is being conducted in
Brunswick, New Hanover, and
Fender counties.
Killing mature mole crickets in
the autumn or spring is essentially
futile. Maximum doses and multiple
treatments of insecticides are re
quired to kill mature mole crickets.
The hesi time to control severe in
festations of this pest is immediately
after egg hatch in July and again in
August. The young nymphs are very
susceptible to a wide range of insec
ticides. For controlling mole crickets
in home lawns, the following insec
ticidcs are labeled for mole crickel
control: Pageant, Dursban, Oftanol,
Orthene, Tempo, Triumph, Turcam,
Diazinon, Baygon or Sevin bait.
Commercial applicators have a new
strain parasitic nematode that will
only attack mole crickets. Soil treat
ment with this insect parasite gives
acceptable control in some situa
tions.
i am sending you a publication
that Dr. R.L. Brandenburg and I
wrote titled "A Complete Guide to
Mole Cricket Management in North
Carolina". Good luck!
Dear Plant Doctor: I treated for
tire ants this spring and during the
summer had very few ant hills on
my property. However this fall, fire
ants hills are everywhere. How do I
get rid of this pests once and for all?
Is there any pesticide that will per
manently kill these horrible insects?
? Whiteville
ANSWER: Fire ants are with us,
and I doubt any pesticide will be
available in the future that will kill
fire ants permanently. Fire ant con
trol is like roach control; it must be
performed routinely to get good re
sults. Now is a good time to treat
fire ants.
Best control usually results in
spring and fall when temperatures
are between 70 and 85 degrees.
Mound drenches or baits are suitable
for most home lawns. Dr. Charles
Apperson (N.C. State University)
has recently published an excellent
leaflet that details the optimum
treatment methods for red imported
fire ant in North Carolina. You can
obtain this publication, "Control of
the Red Imported Fire Ant-AG4#6,"
free of charge at any county office
of the N.C. Cooperative Extension
Service.
Send your gardening questions or
comments to the Plant Doctor, P.O.
Box 109, Bolivia NC 28422.
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U.S.D.A. CHOICE
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99
Lb.
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a
Coofk-C ut!
9
Fresh Whole Salmon u>.4"
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It's Time To BBQ!
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i OUR LOCAL PORK SOURCE
WHOLE
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WANT SOMETHING GREAT
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129
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& BUSH LIGHT
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IGA ASSORTED COLORS
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PROGRESSO
Tomatoes 28-Oz. Can O ?
Peanut Butter is-o*. I29
FISHER ^00
Peanuts 2 14-Oz. Jars 3
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7Sr
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DAWN
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IGA Bleach
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Jti tfic &ai%ujaii
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MEDIUM YELLOW ONIONS
PEPSI
2-Liter
99C
H 1
3-Lb. Bag
i
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Apples u,.
FRLSH GREEN
Cabbage 5
Lbs.
I Going fishing or )ust out to
work? Our Dell Pro now has thel
SANDWICH OF YOUR CHOICE I
6" SUBS
Ham, Bologna, Turkey or Roast
Beef, wtth Cheese, Lettuce
1
Each
GIANT 14" SUB
*77
O"
THEY ARE READY 1
DIET one
Mazola Margarine u>W
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Grade A Large Eggs doz.33
IGA Orange Juice 'a 99c
Pet Ritz Pie Shells n<8 89c
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Skim Milk >4 Gal.
i/ea, Sxi&an, uie a*M fiaae JZemen
Jxe Cteam in aSaut tuia iveefi&.
ft to til fie fPxo Sfio p}
FROM OUR BAKERY, BLUEBERRY OR BANANA NUT
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Af^eed Mallauieen Cupcafiet ax
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^59