How to Get Rid of Bermuda Grass in Your Lawn
Bermuda grass is among the most popular choices for lawn grasses in Texas. However, it isn’t for everyone. Options such as Palisades Zoysia are the preferred choice of many homeowners in Central Texas, and there are plenty of niche options and variants to suit any homeowner’s taste.
You might be looking to get rid of Bermuda grass from your own lawn. To remove this resilient grass from your lawn, try these key tips.
Why Is Bermuda Grass So Difficult to Remove?
The same qualities that make Bermuda grass an excellent choice for Texas lawns also make it difficult to remove. Strong and hardy, it’s perfectly suited to the full sunlight and high temperatures of Texas summers. The deep root system helps it thrive in the harshest conditions.
Those deep roots also give it an exceptional regrowth capacity. It can recover from seeming total destruction if the root system isn’t dealt with. Bermuda grass can also spread through underground shoots, so even a small patch can spread to compete with your preferred lawn grass.
Natural Methods to Tackle Bermuda Grass
If you’re concerned about the environment and local plants and animals, you might want to take an all-natural approach to removing Bermuda grass. There are several options that you can try at home, although with varying levels of success.
Simply not watering a patch of Bermuda grass can help weaken it, but it can also affect surrounding grass and will take a long period of time. For faster results, you can cover the grass with a sheet of clear plastic to fry it under the summer sun. Other natural methods to kill Bermuda grass include pouring vinegar or boiling water on the patch.
Bermuda Grass Removal Treatments
For more immediate results, many homeowners turn to chemical treatments. There are a variety of herbicides that can make quick work of Bermuda grass. Many of these contain glyphosate, which will kill essentially any vegetation it touches. It must be carefully applied to the Bermuda grass to avoid killing the surrounding grass.
There are also selective herbicides available that claim to target Bermuda grass specifically, leaving the surrounding grass unharmed. However, you will want to confirm that your specific lawn grass is safe from that herbicide before taking the risk of harming your lawn.
Physical Bermuda Grass Removal
If you’re not averse to applying some additional elbow grease, you can also consider physical removal methods. If a small patch is present, you may be able to simply dig it out and remove the root system. However, this is often easier said than done.
To ensure that the Bermuda grass won’t simply reemerge, you must remove the entire root system, which includes both the rhizomes and stolons. For larger patches, you would want a sod cutter to handle removal. Simply mowing your lawn to a low height can help stress Bermuda grass, but it can also take a long time to have any real effect.
Long-Term Management and Prevention
After removal, you want to make sure that you won’t be dealing with the same problem again down the road. The best way to do so is to maintain a healthy lawn of your preferred grass. With a strong lawn, there are fewer gaps for Bermuda grass to enter and exploit.
Understanding your lawn’s specific watering, fertilization, and mowing requirements can help maintain its health. Always keep an eye out for signs of new Bermuda grass growth and act quickly to stop it from spreading.
If you’ve had an ongoing problem with Bermuda grass or other weeds, you might consider applying pre-emergent herbicides in early spring.
Leaving It to the Professionals
Of course, you don’t have to tackle this challenge on your own. Professional lawn care and landscaping companies can provide a variety of solutions using specialized equipment and techniques, which can be much more effective and can also save you a lot of trouble.
Experienced professionals can also help identify the underlying issues that are leading to Bermuda grass infestations. They can provide a full range of services to improve the health and beauty of your lawn, no matter what the root cause may be.
Finding the Right Approach
There are many ways to remove Bermuda grass from your Central Texas lawn. Deciding which one is best for you comes down to your own personal preferences. Whether you’re tackling it yourself or leaving it to the professionals, the right approach can leave you with a beautiful lawn you can enjoy for years to come.
Grass Works has been providing Expert Residential & Commercial Local Lawn Care Services in Central Texas: Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Avery Ranch, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Steiner Ranch & West Austin since 2007! Need help with your landscaping? Get a free estimate today!
Ferris MyCue is the founder and owner of Grass Works Lawn Care, LLC located in Leander, TX. As a former firefighter who maintained yards on his days off, he saw a need for a dependable, local maintenance company that knew the hill country climate and could deliver quality landscaping services for a reasonable price. Since 2007 he has used his leadership to grow the company into one of the top landscape maintenance companies in Austin and surrounding areas offering landscape maintenance, design, and irrigation services to both residential and commercial clients. Ferris is also a member of the Seasonal Employment Alliance (SEA) and an active participant in advocacy efforts to help promote cap relief.