I have a client that has an enitre yard full of bermuda grass, and they cannot stand it. Is there anyway to successfully get rid of bermuda grass and eventually plant fescue in the lawn instead?
Killing Off Bermuda Grass ???
SLC LLC
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No truth whatsoever. Two applications of roundup thru August followed by a good seed program in the fall will yield excellent results. I've done it with 1 roundup; but, did have to ester out a fair amount of common bermuda in early summer... It was manageable, though. I have some pics of the results. I'll post them if I can locate them.
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Yes, it has to be hit during growing season. I think August is the best month to begin spraying out hot season grasses if you are going cool season. You'll still be able to get a good kill... and the weeds won't have time to take over before seeding. Tilling... I'd say no. Two applications of Roundup work fine.
One thing you could do now is go ahead and seed with a cheap tall fescue... and maintain the height of cut as high as possible(4.5 to 5") until next August. This will naturally choke out a fair amount of bermuda next year. Then, after the august kill, seed with a quality fescue blend.
One thing you could do now is go ahead and seed with a cheap tall fescue... and maintain the height of cut as high as possible(4.5 to 5") until next August. This will naturally choke out a fair amount of bermuda next year. Then, after the august kill, seed with a quality fescue blend.
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Round-up will not kill bermuda, even with two applications. What you did was suppress it. It will return within a year or two.
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Uh. Are you getting your info from something you read??? Or something you did? I have many years of PRACTICAL experience with this. I know that with a summer roundup app, seeding, and proper fescue fert and treatment, including a good height of cut, that this WILL get rid of hotseason undesirables.
I kinda agree with Llush guy I believe it will come back....I know it certainly will in our area. Yards don't even have to be sodded or seeded to get a nice bermuda lawn . Maybe other areas are different. Kinda nuts getting rid of bermuda and then going to some type of grass that won't take high temperatures.
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ding ding, give the man a cigar for the right answer, learn to live with it.
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Damn. I guess my pure fescue lawns are some kind of miracle. Seriously guys... with the right height of cut, irrigation schedules, fert program, and fungal treatments, a lawn without bermuda proliferation is easily attainable.
Here are the fundamentals.
1. Fertilize only once in spring. That's all fescue needs this time of year. Fertilize too far in to spring or too much and here is what you are doing. First off, when bermuda becomes active, it will eat up any nitrogen you put on it...thus making it stronger. Secondly, late or too much fert on fescue may not burn it come hot temps; but, you will set up a perfect environment for brown patch... Which here, can eat up a lawn fast. I constantly have to school customers that watering during these times of fungal invasion only exacerbates the problem. When brown patch hurts fescue, it leaves the door open for bermuda. Many landscapers in my area chalk summer fescue brownout up to dormancy. I, and anyone else that knows what they are doing, understands that this is false. Properly maintained fescue stays green all year. At least it does for me.
2. Height of cut... One of the best ways to control bermuda in fescue grass is to cut at proper heights. Ground loving hotseason undesirables don't fare too well when they are choked out by 4" healthy fescue.
3. Learn your area... and pick your poisons for fungal warfare wisely.
That's enough for now... But come on guys... you know that I know what I'm talking about.
Here are the fundamentals.
1. Fertilize only once in spring. That's all fescue needs this time of year. Fertilize too far in to spring or too much and here is what you are doing. First off, when bermuda becomes active, it will eat up any nitrogen you put on it...thus making it stronger. Secondly, late or too much fert on fescue may not burn it come hot temps; but, you will set up a perfect environment for brown patch... Which here, can eat up a lawn fast. I constantly have to school customers that watering during these times of fungal invasion only exacerbates the problem. When brown patch hurts fescue, it leaves the door open for bermuda. Many landscapers in my area chalk summer fescue brownout up to dormancy. I, and anyone else that knows what they are doing, understands that this is false. Properly maintained fescue stays green all year. At least it does for me.
2. Height of cut... One of the best ways to control bermuda in fescue grass is to cut at proper heights. Ground loving hotseason undesirables don't fare too well when they are choked out by 4" healthy fescue.
3. Learn your area... and pick your poisons for fungal warfare wisely.
That's enough for now... But come on guys... you know that I know what I'm talking about.
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I happen to agree with him somewhat. I have not had much dealings with Fescue, but even with winter overseeded Rye in my area if you have a long mild spring and cool early summer it can really choke out the Bermuda. I also happen to think the two treatments of Glyphosphate followed by seeding in your area would work.
Three years ago I had a person that wanted St Augastine in his back yard that was Bermuda. What I did was take a sod cutter and removed the Bermuda, tilled lightly, leveled and laid the StAugastine sod. Worked so well I got to do a friend of his that had the same problem and put down Zoysia.
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After the initial bout with bermuda you're still going to have to stay with it. I'm a believer this is possible - but it takes work, time, and money. West KY you can keep a tall fescue yard and it should stay green year round. Problem comes from neighbors and the bermuda creeping back across - this is why you have to stay on top of your yard.
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What you are doing is supressing bermuda. Yes, if you keep a healthy lawn, that is thick, cut high, and lush, it will crowd out the bermuda.
The problem is, as soon as you get a weak spot, the bermuda will fill in, not from new seeds, but from plants that have been supressed, but still have active roots in the ground.
Bermuda can be killed, with several applications of Glysophate mixed with Fusilade, but Fusilade is no longer labeled for home lawns, only ornamental beds. Ornamec may work as a substitute, but I have not yet tested it or read any research to support it, its just an educated guess based on similer chemical makeup and mode of action.
I wasen't trying to chastise, I guess I dwell on the details too much when it comes to this stuff for some reason.
Does anyone know of any other herbicides labeled for Bermudagrass? So far I have only found fusilade and ornamec.
The problem is, as soon as you get a weak spot, the bermuda will fill in, not from new seeds, but from plants that have been supressed, but still have active roots in the ground.
Bermuda can be killed, with several applications of Glysophate mixed with Fusilade, but Fusilade is no longer labeled for home lawns, only ornamental beds. Ornamec may work as a substitute, but I have not yet tested it or read any research to support it, its just an educated guess based on similer chemical makeup and mode of action.
I wasen't trying to chastise, I guess I dwell on the details too much when it comes to this stuff for some reason.
Does anyone know of any other herbicides labeled for Bermudagrass? So far I have only found fusilade and ornamec.
Wait a minute ......resodding after cutting out bermuda with a cutter is a different situation than roundup and seeding. I would believe you can do the sod thing with St Augustine and it would keep bermuda out. But the other comment about overseeding with rye in bermuda and expecting the bermuda to be gone will definitely NOT work.
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Rye in bermuda does nothing but halt fescue growth.
And, to the guys in texas, I think we're kinda dealing with different climates here. We're are a little bit north of the hot season grass belt. Though, with as hot and droughty as the summers have been, fighting bermuda has been a "newer" problem for us. But, doing what I propose does yield very good results when it comes to having a pure fescue lawn.
Lush Lawns, the bare spots of fescue that allow for bermuda regrowth that you speak of do not exist in any lawn that I maintain or restore. Well, maybe a few do; but, that can be easily solved with a bit of selective herbicide. Keep in mind that I maintain my upperscale accounts weekly... sometimes sooner. It's easy for me to see areas that need to be treated as problems arise.
And, to the guys in texas, I think we're kinda dealing with different climates here. We're are a little bit north of the hot season grass belt. Though, with as hot and droughty as the summers have been, fighting bermuda has been a "newer" problem for us. But, doing what I propose does yield very good results when it comes to having a pure fescue lawn.
Lush Lawns, the bare spots of fescue that allow for bermuda regrowth that you speak of do not exist in any lawn that I maintain or restore. Well, maybe a few do; but, that can be easily solved with a bit of selective herbicide. Keep in mind that I maintain my upperscale accounts weekly... sometimes sooner. It's easy for me to see areas that need to be treated as problems arise.
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Here's on I did last year. I'll dig up the before pics soon.
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=227961&highlight=accu-cut+stripes
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=227961&highlight=accu-cut+stripes
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I,m sorry if it sounded like I was saying that the Rye would kill the Bermuda, I know it won't. What I was meaning to say is that if you have a dense Fescue lawn that it should help weaken and suppress the Bermuda, like Accu was talking about, because in my area I have seen overseed Bermuda get stunned and take a while to get going again. Also does anyone know if Atrazine is OK for Fescue? I know I use Atrazine in the summer on St Augastine lawns to help push out Bermuda.
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I trust you one that, like I said in my last post, I can dwell on details sometimes. I was thinking more of the definition of supression vs. control.
Keeping a nice healthy lawn to keep bermuda at bay is the correct solution.
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