Mullumbimby Couch Treatment Guide

About Mullumbimby Couch

Mullumbimby couch is a perennial grass-like plant that thrives in damp and shady habitats. Mullumbimby couch weeds are so robust that they will use the lawns water and nutrients, eventually taking the lawn over completely. Mullumbimby couch seeds quickly spread throughout the lawn and garden using underground rhizomes, causing infestations to get out of hand quickly if not treated correctly.

Identifying Mullumbimby Couch

A long-lived grass-like plant with long underground runners and upright flowering stems up to 40 cm tall. Its upright stems are three-angled in cross-section and only 0.5-1.5 mm thick. Its bright green leaves (1-3 mm wide) are hairless and sheath the stem at the base. Its pale green seed-heads (6-7 mm long) have three or four green leafy bracts at the base and contain numerous small flower spikelets. Its 'seeds' are yellow to reddish-brown in colour and topped with a small projection 1-1.5 mm long.

Brisbane City Council

Mullumbimby Couch Treatment 

There are 2 methods to control Mullumbimby Couch weeds- physical and chemical. Chemical methods are highly successful.

Mullumbimby Couch Removal

Physically pulling the weeds out is a good control method if there are very few weeds. To be effective the entire weed needs to be extracted, nut and all. If a single nut is left, the weed will be back in a matter of days. Physical control methods are not suitable for large areas of ground or weed infestation.

Mullumbimby Couch Poison

Option 1. Selective Herbicide Mix 0.65g Kenpra in 5L of water and apply 5L of the mix per 50m2. Apply Kenpra 750 WG Herbicide to actively growing weeds when new growth has reached a minimum of 5cm. This products targets sedges and can be used without harming other plants or lawns. This is suitable for larger areas of land such as small acerage, schoolyards, parks and sporting fields.

Option 2. Non selective control 

For some suburban properties, spot managing with a broad spectrum herbicide such as glysophate is economical and fast way to eliminate the weed. Mix 1.6mL of Tuffweed 360 in 1 Litre of water and apply to actively growing plants in late Summer/Autumn (Feb-April) when at least 20% have reached the head stage. A spray marker dye can be used to ensure accurate spraying and reduce overspray.

Always read product label prior to use.