Why the heck would you do anything of the sort? A little nutsedge clearly isn't bothering you, since you didn't know it was there. Just mow it. You'll have a much healthier yard and plants with them in the ground, rather than in containers on concrete.

What a relief...thank you both so much for your feedback!

Glad to know that nutsedge specific herbicide "can" be used around ornamentals as well as turf (not certain about "all" edibles, we may have to give up our young apricot tree plus bushes of ground cherries since they're both surrounded by nutsedge).

I overreacted for two reasons -

1) Four weeks ago we had neighbor's gardener clear out overgrowth in 3.5 ft wide by 90 ft long perimeter lawn-level planter while temps in the 80's here in SoCal. Two weeks later, dozens of nutsedge sprouted in the tilled soil with 3 - 4 leaves most about 2"-5" tall on about 30 feet of the 90 ft long perimeter. Then I started down the rabbit hole.

2) In Feb had subterranean termite treatment with termiticide injected into drilled holes every 18 inches around perimeter of our house including adjacent to 25x10 foot edible garden. Since injected into soil too close to the leaf dripline of our edibles, forced to remove all edibles so it's now just dirt sitting there (we still need to figure out what to do with the area).

Since so many new nutsedge "now" will apply herbicide after this 10-day rain ends plus in about 6 weeks,

Hopefully will go dormant then when starts growing back reapply herbicide 2 - 3 times/year for many years.

Definitely need to do the proper lawn maintenance to control the nutsedge. My husband does not agree with mowing high - it you have any links that support this please send.

" My husband does not agree with mowing high - it you have any links that support this please send "

Pretty much EVERY lawn care website, forum or chat group will instruct you to mow high and often. It's really the mantra for good lawn care. In general, the advice is to set your mower to its highest setting (3-4 inches) and only remove a third (or less) of the blade extension with each mowing. Keeping the lawn high provides more material for photosynthesis, encourages deeper root growth and drought resistance and it shades out weeds.

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/TURF/MAINTAIN/mow.html

Gardengal, I agree with the grass height. I think our Meyer zoysia looks MUCH better at that height. However, my husband does NOT agree and I had to surrender that battle. He cuts it as low as the Honda mower will go.

OP, good luck, but all the articles and books I showed him did not work. However, I prefer no chemicals on the yard, except plain fertilizer, and I have got that now.

ETA: We compromised at first. The back had no chemicals and the front he could spray whatever. Weed and Feed, Nutsedge killer, Weed Be Gone, and whatever. Since he cut so low, there was not much difference in front and back. He lost interest and I now have my chemical free yard. It would be even better if cut to 3", but well???

Nutsedge is a swampy soil loving plant. If you can go for extended periods without watering, it will go away by itself. Of course Mother Nature is helping you out with the irrigation for the next few months. When I am in full control and water only once every 2 weeks, it goes away. The watering requirements for Marathon varieties in SoCal sort of make you water much more often than that.