Cynodon dactylon, commonly known as Bermuda grass, is a warm-season perennial grass recognized for its rapid growth habit. It establishes dense coverage using above-ground runners (stolons) and robust underground stems (rhizomes), allowing it to spread quickly and root at the nodes. This dual nature makes it either a durable turf for high-traffic areas like sports fields or a difficult-to-eradicate weed in flowerbeds and cool-season lawns. Successful management requires understanding its growth, whether cultivating a lawn or removing it from an unwanted area.
Routine Cultural Maintenance for Desirable Bermuda Lawns
Maintaining a Bermuda grass lawn requires frequent, low mowing to encourage lateral density. The grass is best kept at a height between 0.5 to 2.5 inches; lower cuts require a reel mower for the cleanest finish. Mowing should occur often enough to remove no more than one-third of the leaf blade at a time, which may mean cutting two or three times a week during the peak summer growing season.
Watering practices should focus on deep, infrequent irrigation to promote a resilient root system. The grass needs about 1 to 1.25 inches of water per week, delivered in one or two sessions to encourage drought tolerance. Wilted, folded, or curled leaves and a bluish-gray appearance indicate drought stress and require immediate watering.
Bermuda grass has a high nitrogen requirement for optimal color and growth, necessitating a consistent fertilization schedule throughout the growing season. Nitrogen applications should begin in late spring after the grass has fully greened up and continue through the summer, potentially requiring two to four feeding sessions based on soil tests. In the fall, nitrogen applications should stop, and a potassium-rich fertilizer should be used to support winter hardiness and root health before dormancy.
Due to its horizontal growth, Bermuda grass is prone to developing a dense layer of thatch, which is organic material built up between the soil and the grass blades. Core aeration, which removes small plugs of soil, should be performed at least once a year in late spring or early summer to alleviate soil compaction. This improves the movement of air, water, and nutrients to the roots. Dethatching may also be necessary if the thatch layer exceeds a half-inch, as this material can block water penetration and harbor disease.
Targeted Control of Weeds and Common Lawn Diseases
Controlling weeds in a Bermuda lawn relies on a combination of preventative and corrective chemical applications. Pre-emergent herbicides are applied in late winter or early spring when soil temperatures reach approximately 55°F. This creates a barrier that prevents the germination of warm-season annual weeds like crabgrass. A second pre-emergent application may be necessary six to eight weeks later to ensure season-long control.
For weeds that have already emerged, post-emergent herbicides are used, but selection must be specific to avoid damaging the Bermuda grass. Selective post-emergent products can target grassy weeds, such as dallisgrass, or broadleaf weeds like clover and dandelion, without harming the turf. These products work best when applied to actively growing weeds, typically when daytime temperatures are between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bermuda grass is susceptible to several fungal diseases, including Dollar Spot and Brown Patch, which are favored by specific environmental conditions. Brown Patch is encouraged by high humidity and excessive nitrogen fertilization, while Dollar Spot thrives in low nitrogen and prolonged leaf wetness. To manage these diseases, cultural practices like reducing late evening watering and ensuring proper drainage are highly effective.
If a fungal infection persists, an appropriate fungicide labeled for use on Bermuda grass is the corrective chemical treatment. Pest management involves targeted applications, such as using granular or liquid insecticide to control common pests like grubs or mole crickets that feed on the grass roots. Maintaining proper cultural practices, including correct fertilization and watering, is the most effective defense against disease and pest establishment.
Complete Eradication Methods for Unwanted Bermuda Grass
When Bermuda grass is considered a weed or is being removed for a lawn transition, a non-selective systemic herbicide is the most common chemical approach. Products containing glyphosate are effective because the chemical moves throughout the entire plant, including the extensive rhizome system. Multiple applications are required because the dense underground rhizomes are difficult to kill in a single treatment.
For chemical eradication to be successful, the grass must be actively growing and not drought-stressed. Application is best timed for late summer when the plant is moving energy to its roots. After the first application, new growth from surviving rhizomes will appear, indicating the need for subsequent treatments spaced one to two weeks apart. Tilling the soil should be avoided early in the process, as this cuts the rhizomes into pieces that can sprout into new plants.
Physical removal is an option for smaller areas, but it is extremely labor-intensive because every piece of the root and runner system must be extracted. Any small fragment of rhizome or stolon left in the soil can regrow into a new plant, making meticulous digging necessary. The excavated material should be immediately disposed of and not added to a compost pile, where it could survive and spread.
Non-chemical control methods, such as soil solarization, use clear plastic sheeting to trap solar heat, raising the soil temperature high enough to kill the grass and its seeds. This method works best during the hottest months and requires the plastic to be left in place for at least six to eight weeks. Another barrier method is sheet mulching, which involves covering the area with layers of cardboard and mulch to deprive the grass of sunlight, effectively starving the plant.