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Will Bermuda grow from the clippings

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absolutelawnman

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I know that bermuda spreads from stolons etc, but will the little cut every week that may end up in beds actually spread. If not is there any documentation or studies.

Customer thinks that it does and I thought it only grew if you actually got a part of the stolon in the beds, not the clippings
 
#2 ·
Absole

Sprigs from Bermuda or any other stolmatic plant should have at least two nodes to propagate. Depending on how high the grass is and how fine it mulches the grass is the answer to your question. However Common Varieties of Bermuda will propagate from their seeds. Cultivars of Bermuda will not propagate from seeds.
 
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#5 ·
absolutelawnman said:
Customer thinks that it does and I thought it only grew if you actually got a part of the stolon in the beds, not the clippings
Click to expand...
The customer is right and you are wrong. So quit discharging into their bed areas for one, and two educate them on how they may as well get used to a long term war to keep it out.

IF any part of the bermuda plant, aside from the soft tissue of the blade lands there, it will dig in, take root and spread. It is one of the most hearty plants on the planet. I could tell stories all day....
 
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#7 ·
Gene $immons said:
I have a degree in horticulture.
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Gene

So do I.

Clipping are made up of Stolons and Seeds and although we like to have a minim of two nodes to propagate from, in a nice shaded wet mulch bed and one node will propagate. Sorry I am not going to make my point by doing a bunch of research to find a university study. How ever I will add just one more word. "Sprigs"
 
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#8 ·
Gene $immons said:
Clippings will not give rise to new growth. If any part of the stolons or rhizomes are included it will.

But clippings alone will not

I have a degree in horticulture.

Show me some documentation on this.
Click to expand...
Again, no the leaf of the plant won't root. But when you cut it, some of the stemy growth gets pulled up and cut off. Likewise it runs and grows over the edges as well. Any of that part of the plant will root and spread if given half a chance. It's a constant war to keep it out of beds because it has so many ways of getting in and it's very hard to irradicate.

IF you want documentation, pull your degree off the wall and inscribe the following on the back.....

"For proof Bermuda clippings will give rise to new growth, gather a hand full of said clippings, then return home and deposit in personal beds."

If you decide to try it, let me know how that goes. :waving:
 
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#11 ·
Since bermuda is so hardy, are there any chances that a mower deck can act as a carrier from a freshly mowed bermuda lawn? Will the bermuda clippings be able to start new growth in a lawn with an entirely different type of grass?
 
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#14 ·
Gene

Depends on where you get your Sprigs from. I did a hybrid Bermuda hey field on my farm back in the 70's with nothing more than green cut and baled hay. No roots.

Sorry Bermuda is a C-4 turf and you are not in a Warm season area.
 
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#15 ·
I have actually used bermuda clippings to MULCH flower beds! One of the best mulches there is, after ground up leaves. Of course it would be possible for clippings to cause grass to grow - if they have parts of the stems or stolons or roots or rhizomes and if all the conditions are right. But the tiny amounts of clippings (which should mainly be leaf parts - depending on type of grass, height, mowing height) that might get into the beds should not be a problem. And if it is - then the tiny new grass plants just need to be picked out before they get established (which might be up to the customer or their gardener). I wonder if these beds are bare dirt? Rule one in gardening is NO BARE DIRT - all beds should be mulched - that alone should prevent the problem. And I wonder if there is a good barrier around these beds - bermuda will go under and over (and through the cracks) all kinds kinds of borders and barriers. And I wonder if there has EVER been any bermuda problem in these beds. If so, it will always be there unless it is VERY thoroughly removed - and then kept up with. If they had some kid weed it last year then there will be plenty more by now. It is very hard to get rid of bermuda in flower beds - especially if it has ever been established there. One the other hand - its no big deal - all beds require some maintenance. Many people refuse to accept that. If someone were to point to a bit of bermuda and say - See you did that, then you might dig it up and see if this looks like a new little plant or has there actually been roots under there for a while, or is the root actually extending over from the lawn (like through a crack in the brick border). Also if they have good quality garden soil in the beds, it will lift right out. I do as much garden work as I do mowing, but I know most mowers don't do beds - except maybe some mulch application - so that might be something to suggest. Mulch keeps down weeds and keeps in water. You might also be able to hit the beds with a blower after mowing if that keeps them happy.
Sounds like a picky customer.....
 
#16 ·
I can say for a fact that Bermuda can grow from clippings. When I worked for a school maintaining sports fields I noticed Bermuda grass growing in the gravel of the garage where we stored the mowers. There was no Bermuda seeded there and the only Bermuda on the whole campus was on the sports fields. Come to find out the Bermuda propagated from the clippings that stuck to the wheels of our mowers when we drove them in to their storage.
 
#19 ·
Gene $immons said:
Clippings will not give rise to new growth. If any part of the stolons or rhizomes are included it will.

But clippings alone will not

I have a degree in horticulture.

Show me some documentation on this.
Click to expand...
Clippings with seed heads on them will, not just clippings in general
 
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