What's eating my palm sedge?

Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis) is a native North American woodland sedge with very low pest pressure. Slugs chew foliage in wet sites. In deer country, plants may be browsed in summer. Aphids sometimes appear on young shoots. Overall, this is one of the easiest sedges to grow pest-free in shaded, moist garden conditions.

Irregular chewing on leaf tips and edges, especially in the cool, moist shaded spots this sedge prefers Apply iron phosphate pellets; use Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes in moist soil; a gritty mulch around clumps helps deter slugs

Deer browse foliage down to the crown in areas with high deer pressure; plants typically regrow but can be set back repeatedly Protect young plants with wire caging; apply deer repellent spray during the growing season and re-apply after rain

Small infestations on new spring growth cause mild distortion; rarely cause lasting harm on this vigorous sedge Spray with water jet or insecticidal soap; no treatment usually needed as predators control populations naturally