A lot of your customers have Bermuda grass and all of them asking me how should we take care of your Bermuda grass? The answer is are you willing to spend your time on it? If so read this article and you be able to take care of bermudagrass professionally.
Calendar for Bermuda grass
These suggested maintenance practices will help you care for your lawn throughout the year. Because every yard is different due to variations in location, terrain, soil type, condition of the lawn, previous lawn care and other factors, adjust these practices and dates to suit your home lawn.
Bermudagrass is the commonly used lawn grass in Charlotte, NC. It will grow on a wide range of soil types as long as there are adequate drainage and plenty of sunlight. Bermudagrass is not a shade-tolerant turfgrass. Full sun is required for it to thrive. Other attractive features include rapid recovery from traffic damage and good drought tolerance. Established bermudagrass will turn brown during extended dry periods but recover after the first significant rainfall. Durability and the ability to recover quickly make it the first choice for high traffic areas. The quick growth rate of bermudagrass compared to slower-growing grasses like zoysiagrass and centipedegrass makes bermudagrass the most affordable turfgrass to purchase as sod. Rapid growth means frequent mowing during June, July, and August. Mowing frequency is also tied to nitrogen fertilization and rainfall or irrigation. Because bermudagrass is a fast grower, it readily invades ornamental beds, gardens and requires frequent edging along walks and driveways. The aggressive properties that make it a desirable turfgrass also make it a major weed.
Bermudagrass maintenance calendar
This table shows the optimum time period to perform various maintenance practices to your bermudagrass lawn. The optimum lawn maintenance period may be started earlier or extended based on variations in annual weather conditions and/or location in Charlotte, NC.
A Is displayed for an acceptable month for the designated task B Is displayed for the best month for the designated task
March through may
mowing
Before bermudagrass begins to grow in the spring, you may mow the turf slightly shorter than normal to remove dead leaf blades and other debris. This practice will reduce the shading of the emerging plants and also serve to warm soil temperatures more quickly in the spring. Begin mowing regularly when the grass turns green in the spring and reaches the desired mowing height. Bermudagrass should be mowed at 0.5to 2.5 inches. Hybrid bermudagrass cultivars should be mowed at heights from 0.5 to 1.5 inches. Common bermudagrass should be mowed at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Higher mowing heights may be needed on uneven lawns to avoid scalping. Mow often to avoid removing more than one-third of the leaf blade. It isn’t necessary to collect clippings unless they remain as clumps on the lawn surface. Mowing more frequently to avoid clipping buildup is more efficient than emptying the collection bag.
Fertilizing
Apply 0.5 to 1.0 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet approximately three weeks after the grass turns green in late May. Submit a soil sample to determine phosphorus and potassium requirements, if you haven’t already. Contact us for a solid test. Apply lime if suggested. To determine the amount of fertilizer product required to apply 1.0 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet, divide 1.0 by the first number (%) in the fertilizer ratio. For example, for a 2055 fertilizer (containing20% nitrogen), divide 1.0 by 0.20 (NOTE: 20% = 0.20). The result is 5 pounds of product per thousand square feet.
watering
Irrigation is seldom needed on bermudagrass during the spring except for newly sodded areas or if dry, hot, windy conditions occur for an extended period. A dark, bluish-gray color, footprinting and wilted, folded or curled leaves indicate it is time to water. Proper irrigation may prevent or reduce pest problems and environmental stress later in the summer.
Weed control
Apply preemergence herbicides to control crabgrass in late February or early March. Control broadleaf weeds with a postemergence application of a two or threeway herbicide containing 2,4D + dicamba and/or MCPP (Ortho® WeedBGon®). Do not exceed two applications per year of a two or threeway herbicide containing 2,4D + dicamba and/or MCPP with a minimum of 30 days between applications. Use a product containing quinclorac for postemergence crabgrass control. Use SedgeHammer® (halosulfuron) for postemergence control of sedges. For weed pictures and more control information, find Turfgrass Weed Control www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/mp521.pdf. See page 8 for crabgrass control, page 16 for sedge control and pages 11, 13 and 17 for broadleaf control.
march through may
Disease control
Small (1 to 3inch) circular, shaded, straw-colored spots in your lawn appearing several weeks after Greenup are likely an indicator of the disease dollar spot. Larger dead spots (1 to 3 feet) in diameter appearing during spring green-up and for several weeks following likely indicate the presence of spring dead spot.
insect control
Check for insect pests and treat if necessary.
renovation
Replant large bare areas using sod or plugs planted on 6 or 12inch centers. Applying a preemergence herbicide that does not interfere with root growth after plugging helps prevent weed encroachment. Common bermudagrass can be seeded at 0.5 to 1 pound per thousand square feet in lawns not treated with a preemergence herbicide within the previous two months.
June through august
mowing
Bermudagrass should be mowed every 5 to 7 days and less often when the lawn is drought-stressed.
fertilizing
Apply 0.5 to 1.0 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet every 4 to 6 weeks using the March through May fertilizing guidelines. The interval between fertilizer applications may be increased by applying a slow-release fertilizer.
watering
Water early in the morning to wet the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Probe with a screwdriver to determine moisture depth. Bermudagrass needs a weekly application of 1 to 1.25 inches of water to retain its color during summer. It needs even less to survive and can go for several weeks without supplemental irrigation. On sandy soils, it requires more frequent watering: for example, 0.5 inches of water every third day. It is often necessary to irrigate an area for three to five hours to apply 1 inch of water with most homeowner irrigation systems. (It takes 620 gallons of water to apply 1 inch of water per thousand square feet.) Because clay soils accept water slowly, irrigate these areas until runoff occurs; wait one-half hour until the water has been absorbed, and then continue irrigating until the desired depth or amount is obtained. A dark, bluish-gray color, footprinting and wilted, folded or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water.
Insect Control
Check for insect pests and treat if necessary.
Cultivation
Core aeration needs to be done every year. When you aerate it allows for water and nutrients to get down into the roots easier. This will help your lawn grow stronger roots and a greener lawn throughout the season. The stronger roots will also allow you to head off disease and resist drought issues. If you need an appointment for core aeration you can call us at (980)272-7716.
weed control
Apply postemergence herbicides as needed to control summer broadleaf weeds such as spurge, knotweed, and lespedeza. For postemergence crabgrass control, apply a product containing quinclorac. Make two applications 14 days apart. Use SedgeHammer® (halosulfuron) for sedge control. Apply postemergence herbicides only when weeds are present, the lawn is actively growing and not suffering from drought. To improve annual bluegrass control, apply a preemergence herbicide on August 15 and water in immediately.
September through November
mowing
Bermudagrass should be mowed every 5 to 7 days and less often when the lawn is drought-stressed.
fertilizing
Apply no more than 0.5 pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet in September, four to six weeks before the first expected frost. Potassium can be applied if soil tests indicate a need. If potassium is needed, use a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer such as a 10-04-0 or supplement a nitrogen fertilizer source with 1 pound of potash using 1.6 pounds of muriate of potash (0060) per 1,000 square feet. Several manufacturers offer winterizing fertilizers with various combinations of nutrients. When using these products, try to find one that approximates at 4-16 ratios of nitrogen phosphorus potassium and contains iron, which will extend color into fall. Apply lime during these months if recommended by your soil test.
watering
Follow the March through May irrigation guidelines. Dormant bermudagrass may still need to be watered periodically when dry, windy conditions occur for an extended period. Additionally, newly planted sod should be watered during this period to prevent desiccation.
