Bermuda Grass Care

Bermuda Grass Lawn Care

Here I'll share the best practices for your Bermuda grass lawn care. Since no lawn is the same as the soil conditions, climate and terrain's all differ, you may need to adjust these Bermuda grass care practices a little to suit your own lawn.

Bermuda grass is one of the most commonly used lawn grass all over the world, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions. This grass will virtually grow and grow quite rapidly on any soil type as long as there is enough sunlight and drainage.

Another characteristic of Bermuda grass is that it is quite drought resistant and also can recover itself quickly from damages. Therefore this grass is also commonly used in high traffic areas.

However, rapid growth means that one needs to mow frequently, more so during summer time. The mowing frequency also depends on nitrogen fertilization and rainfall or irrigation. Since the grass grows rapidly and can easily invade flower beds, it requires frequent edging along walkways and driveways. Actually this aggressive property of rapid growth that makes Bermuda grass a favorable turf grass, also makes it a weed at the same time.

The hybrid Bermuda grasses are generally finer in texture than common Bermuda grass and are established from sod, sprigs or plugs. One of the major problems that a home owner usually has with the hybrid type is to mow them correctly. Hybrid Bermuda grasses look best when mowed three times per week at 0.5 to 1.5 inch with a reel mower. Since this is not practical for home owners, seeded Bermudas are often a better choice for home lawns.

Follow these recommended Bermuda grass lawn care methods and you should have a soft and ever green Bermuda lawn :-)

Mowing Bermuda Grass

March - May

Bermuda grass starts to grow rapidly during spring. Before the growth starts, mow the grass shorter than normal. This will help remove the dead leaf blades and other debris and at the same time allow the soil temperature to rise quicker. Mow regularly when the grass turns green in the spring. The hybrid Bermuda grass should be mowed at heights from 0.5 to 1.5 inches, while common Bermuda grass (grown from seeds) should be mowed at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. However, the height of the grass may have to be adjusted for uneven lawns.

June - November

Bermuda grass should be mowed every 5 to 7 days, and less often during drought.

December - February

Mow Bermuda grass overseeded with perennial or annual ryegrass as often as needed. But do not to remove more than one-third of the leaf blades. You can recycle the nutrients by not collecting the clippings unless they have accumulated. Dormant Bermuda grass that has not been overseeded does not require mowing.

Fertilizing Bermuda Grass

March - May

In May, apply 0.5 to 1.0 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet (roughly) three weeks after the grass turns green. Get a soil sample tested to know the phosphorus and potassium requirements. Apply lime if suggested.

June - August

Use the above guidelines to apply nitrogen, however in every 4 to 6 weeks time period. The interval between fertilizer applications may be increased by applying a slow-release fertilizer.

September - November

Apply up to 0.5 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet in September, four to six weeks before the first expected frost. Potassium can be applied if suggested by the soil tests. Use a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer such as a 10-0-40 (the first number indicates Nitrogen percentage, second number is Phosphate, and third is Potassium).

There are many types of such fertilizers available with various combinations of nutrients. When using these products, try to find one that approximates 4-1-6 ratio and also contains some iron, which will extend color into fall. Apply lime during these months if recommended by your soil test.

December - February

Do not fertilize Bermuda grass that is not overseeded. For overseeded Bermuda grass, apply 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet in December and February. If soil test has not been done, use a complete (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio (for example, 12-4-8). You should do soil tests every 2-3 years to find out your lawn's nutrient requirements. While submitting the soil sample for test, you should also specify your Bermuda lawn grass type.

Watering Bermuda Grass

March - May

During spring, Bermuda grass does not require much irrigation, unless it has been newly sodded or there is an extended dry hot period. When you see a dark bluish gray color and folded or curled leaves, it's time to water. Proper irrigation may prevent or reduce pest and other environmental problems later in the summer.

June - August

During the summer time, you need to water the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, and preferably in the morning.

You can push in a thin wire rod to determine the level of the moisture.

Bermuda grass needs 1 to 1.25 inches of water on a weekly basis to retain its color during summer.

On sandy soils it requires more frequent watering, like 0.5 inch of water every third day.

For homeowners, it often requires three to five hours of irrigation to water the soil to 1 inch of depth. Remember, it takes about 620 gallons of water to apply 1 inch of water per thousand square feet.

September - November

Follow the March - May irrigation guidelines. Dormant Bermuda grass may still need to be watered periodically when dry or when windy conditions occur for an extended period. Newly planted sods should be watered during this period to prevent desiccation.

December - February

Newly planted sod needs to be watered during this period to prevent desiccation. It's very important to water overseeded lawns.

Bermuda Grass Cultivation

June - August

Thatch should be removed every two to three years through aerification or dethatching. Early summer is the right time for cultivation since moisture is usually not limiting and growth is optimum.

Bermuda Weed Control

March - May

Apply pre-emergence herbicides to control crabgrass in late February or early March. Apply post-emergence herbicides in May to control annual and perennial broadleaf weeds such as knotweed, spurge and lespedeza. Products that have two or three broadleaf herbicides usually control several different broadleaf weeds in a lawn more effectively. Before applying, make sure the product is labeled for use on Bermuda grass. Apply post-emergence herbicides only when weeds are present. Applying broadleaf herbicides three weeks after the lawn becomes green to avoid damaging the Bermuda grass.

June - August

Apply post-emergence herbicides to control annual and perennial broadleaf weeds such as knotweed, spurge and lespedeza. Weeds like crabgrass, dallisgrass, annual sedges and sandbur can be controlled with MSMA. In order to control crabgrass and sedges effectively, you need to apply MSMA twice at an interval of 5 to 7 days. Dallisgrass requires five applications of MSMA in 5 to 7 day intervals. Apply these herbicides only when weeds are present on the soil and when the grass is actively growing and not suffering from drought.

September - November

Apply pre-emergence or post-emergence herbicides to control annual and perennial broadleaf weeds like chickweed and henbit. Note that Pre-emergence herbicides will not be able to control existing weeds. They will only control emergence of new weeds. Apply post-emergence herbicides only when weeds are present. Do not apply herbicides to control annual bluegrass if the lawn is to be overseeded with ryegrass.

December - February

Apply broadleaf herbicides to control weed such as spurweed, chickweed, henbit and hop clover. Apply post-emergence herbicides only when weeds are present. Selective herbicides like atrazine and simazine can be applied in November or December in lawns that are not overseeded to control annual bluegrass and several winter annual broadleaf weeds such as henbit.

Refer to Bermuda weed Control for more information on the subject.

Bermuda Disease Control

March - May

If you notice small circular (1 to 3-inch in diameter), shaded, straw-colored spots in your lawn several weeks since the lawn has become green, it is likely an indicator of the dollar spot disease. Larger dead spots (1 to 3 feet in diameter) that appear during spring greenup indicate the presence of spring dead spot. Dry soil moisture conditions is one of the main reasons for dollar spot disease. When adequate soil moisture is provided, dollar spot is rarely a problem. Low nitrogen also favors this disease development.

September - November

Some diseases such as spring dead spot can be active in the fall although there are no symptoms visible. If your lawn has a history of spring dead spot, applying fungicides during fall may be helpful.

Bermuda Insect Control

March - August

Check for insect pests and treat if necessary.

Bermuda Grass Renovation

March - August

You can replant large bare areas with sod or plugs of 6 or 12-inch size. You can also apply a pre-emergence herbicide to control weed encroachment. However you need to ensure that the herbicide does not impact the root growth after plugging. During this time Common Bermuda grass can be seeded at 0.5 to 1 pound per thousand square feet. Seeding in spring or early summer will make the winter Bermuda grass seedlings much healthier.

Check Bermuda Grass to know all about it.

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