Take care of your Bermuda grass

Bermuda shorts in the yard imply care. It is green from spring to winter and is light brown during the winter months. It is a tough type of grass and is usually mixed with Bahia when planted on the side of the road. Often seen in utility plantings.

Bermuda needs full sunlight to form a tight, lush green lawn. Too much shade can make Bermuda grass too thin and overgrown with weeds. Bermuda grasses generally survive drought on a regular basis. Water the lawn when the dry spell lasts up to two weeks or more.

When you have bermudagrass in your lawn, you need to feed it properly. This is done by fertilizing it correctly. You know you’re doing this if the Bermuda shorts are woven into a turf that’s strong enough to resist weeds.

A homeowner can have a Bermuda lawn simply by following Bermuda’s step-by-step lawn care program. With proper watering and mowing, Bermuda grass will grow healthy and strong.

Bermuda spreads through stolons and rhizomes. These are the stems above ground and the spreading roots, respectively. Because these spread quickly, the homeowner must be vigilant when it comes to staying away from the edges of shrubs or flowers. Bermuda that has gone rogue is easy to dig up during the winter because it has gone dormant.

Here are some steps to remedy weed problems in Bermuda lawn care:

1. Apply pre-emergence in early spring.

2. Control lawn weeds in early spring.

3. Apply fertilizer in late spring after 50% have greened. Control insects when necessary.

4. Bermuda likes acidic soils. When needed to raise pH, apply lime during late fall.

Here are some steps to keep your Bermuda grass in good condition.

1. Apply high nitrogen fertilizers every month for up to six weeks during the summer months

2. Apply fertilizer through early September and control insects in late spring or early summer.

3. Apply a winter turf treatment with a preemergence and potash in late October (winter conditioner) and control insects as needed in late summer/early fall.

The key is to do the indicated steps throughout the year. You will see improvements in your Bermuda grass after that time. Remember to read the lawn care product label before applying it to Bermuda grass. Be careful with herbicides and fertilizers. Use only products that have been specified for the care of bermudagrass grass.

You will eventually benefit from this. It is relaxing to look at a lush green lawn.