One thing in Bermuda grass that is annoying is its weeds. Bermuda itself is a weed for flower beds and other grasses due to its hostile nature to grow and the ability to form a thick canopy. While the weed control becomes irresistible and difficult, it needs to weed out of your Bermuda grass lawn.
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How To Keep Weeds Out Of Bermuda Grass
This article is all about the step-to-step process of keeping weeds out of your Bermuda grass lawn. Are you thinking of how to control overwhelming weeds that impact the healthy spread of Bermuda grass? Don’t get bothered! I’m here to discuss how to get rid of Bermuda grass. Two ways can be useful in that fact-
- To prevent the weeds from germinating and developing.
- To kill existing weeds.
Experts suggest before weeding out the seeds, first understand which types of Bermuda grass can affect the healthy spread. This is because the control process relies on the types of Bermuda grass you’re going to weed out. Indeed, bare or thin areas are suitable for the weeds to spread. Here are some steps on how to keep weeds out of your Bermuda grass:
Step 1: Consistently Obey The Best Practices
I recommend following some of the best practices consistently so that weeds affecting your Bermuda lawn can be minimized. The best practices include-
- Fertilize the lawn properly
- Frequent watering
- Control shaded areas
- Mowing at the proper height and frequency
- Hand-pulling
Use Of Fertilizer:
It’s very important to fertilize your lawn properly. You can apply Bermuda grass fertilizer that helps not only grow your grass healthy but also choke out weeds.
Frequent Watering:
Watering your newly planted Bermuda seedlings is also crucial. Experts recommend frequent watering for the first few weeks to establish new seedlings.
Control Shaded Areas:
Bare areas or extremely shaded spots are the perfect places for weeds to colonize. In those places, healthy Bermuda grasses won’t grow. Make sure to control shaded areas so that grass can develop even there.
Mowing At The Proper Height And Frequency:
If you allow your Bermuda lawn to get too high or scalp too low, it can cause weed issues. That’s why mowing at the correct height is very important. Try to keep the height at 1-1.5 inches.
Hand-pulling:
It’s the very first way to keep weeds out of your Bermuda lawn. If you notice the first signs of weeds here and there, pull them by hands to minimize weed.
Step 2: Mechanical Disposal Of Grass Weeds
You can also control weeding mechanically. Frequent mowing helps in that process. So, boost the mowing frequency and keep them at the correct height always.
Hand-pulling is helpful for annual weeds. But not for the perennial weeds. Though it somewhat helps, it is time-consuming. Usually, hand pulling or digging work only for newly appeared weeds in the lawn. You can follow two steps-
Solarization:
Solarizing can be a better way to keep weeds out of your Bermuda lawn. It is done during summer when the soil gets direct sunlight and heat. The extreme heat helps to “bake” the grass and kill the weeds consequently.
Cultivation:
In summer, Bermuda grass becomes poor heat-tolerant. Try to cultivate your lawn during summer that can destroy germinating weeds with a disk harrow. Regular grazing in cultivated lands also works in that fact. Cultivate your lawn soil up to a depth of nearly 6 inches.
Step 3: Using Herbicides Or Weed Killers
You can control overwhelming weeds by using herbicides or weed killers. An herbicide that kills everything but Bermuda is effective to get rid of weeds. The herbicides applied before the weeds emerge are pre-emergent herbicides. On the other hand, the herbicides applied after the weeds emerge are post-emergent herbicides. Animals, water, and lawnmowers help in this process.
Pre-emergent herbicides:
Pre-emergent herbicides have to apply to the lawn 2 weeks before germination. Various types of chemicals are used as weed killers based on their reaction time. You can find various pre-emergent herbicides on the market. For example, I do use Crabgrass Preventer, a pre-emergent herbicide that can eliminate common crabgrass weeds. Apply this herbicide to your lawn before germination. It’ll prevent crabgrass weeds from growing. Remember that the application time of herbicides is important.
You know what? Early spring is the proper time to apply the pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn.
Post-emergent herbicides:
You can control both annual and perennial weeds by applying post-emergent herbicides. The proper application time of these herbicides is during early summer as in this time the weeds start growing extremely. For significant weed control, be careful about application timing, rates, and types of Bermuda grass. Various types of post-emergent herbicides are available in the market including Roundup QuickPro, SedgeHammer Herbicide, Drive XLR8 Herbicide Crabgrass Killer, etc.
Bermuda grass killer:
Last but not least, Bermuda grass killer is one of the most useful ways to protect your Bermuda lawn from weeding. It can control grassy weeds like torpedo grass, quackgrass, Bermuda grass, etc. I do prefer ‘Fusilade II’ and ‘Ornamec’ as a Bermuda grass killer. You’ll get the instructions on how to use the weed killers on the labels. The perfect time for applying weed killer is during spring.
Tips:
Note that herbicides are not suitable for every kind of grass. First, make sure the product label is safe and effective for use. Secondly, know the types of weeds before applying any product as I mentioned before. A small mistake may do great harm. Suppose you’re using Bermuda grass killer chemicals on a crabgrass lawn it can destroy your lawn at any time. So, be careful about that.
Conclusion:
The overwhelming growth of Bermuda weeds can be a curse for flower beds and other grasses. It’s quite annoying to deal with. This article is all about how to keep weeds out of your Bermuda grass with a step-by-step process. Obey these steps to control Bermuda grass weeds.
