Bermudagrass has the fastest growth rate of any of the common warm-season grasses. An aggressive growth rate makes Bermudagrass challenging to contain, but able to endure heavy use.
It recuperates from damage far more quickly than most grasses. As a result, it is the preferred grass for athletic fields, golf course tee areas and golf fairways throughout southern regions. In frost-free climates, Bermudagrass stays green all winter. However, in much of its growing region, it spends winter dormant and brown.
Bermudagrass dormancy generally starts earlier and lasts longer than warm-season alternatives such as Zoysia and Bahiagrass. Southern lawn owners often keep Bermudagrass lawns green in winter with cool-season ryegrass for winter color. Unlike some warm-season choices, Bermudagrass lawns can be started from seed, giving you added options and advantages. Pennington Smart Seed Bermudagrass Grass Seed and Fertilizer Mix offers improved cold tolerance in a wear-resistant, self-repairing, self-spreading lawn.
Both these Pennington Smart Seed mixes contain a temporary, cool-season companion grass that provides stability and early color, then fades away as summer arrives. Plus, Pennington's fertilizer-enhanced seed coat technology speeds establishment and promotes greener grass compared to ordinary Bermudagrasses. When you're on a quest for the perfect lawn, you're bound to encounter challenges.
Water conservation and a healthy, beautiful lawn aren't mutually exclusive. You can do your part to manage water usage, and keep your lawn. Bermudagrass At a Glance. Warm-season grass. Requires full sun and good drainage. Suitable for southern lawns from coast to coast. Tolerant of heat, drought, traffic and salt. High maintenance and nutrient requirements. The range for the common varieties extend throughout the south and southwestern states and in the transition zone. Its northern range ends around central to northern Missouri.
All of the improved varieties of common bermudagrass can be started from seed. These common varieties should not be confused with the higher grade, hybrid bermudagrass varieties. The common varieties produce seedheads that contain viable seed. They are drought tolerant and produce a thick turf under moderate fertilization.
One drawback is that the seedheads are considered to be unsightly. The seeds are very small and a teaspoon can contain over a thousand seeds. The hybrid varieties may produce a few seedheads, but the seeds are not viable. In rural areas, certain common and hybrid varieties are used as a forage crop for livestock, especially horses. It is catching up to tall fescue as a favored forage grass in parts of the transitions zone.
Bermudagrass spreads by the production of rhizomes and stolons. The photo shows bermudagrass stolons runners spreading into the planter. Rhizomes are underground stems, while stolons are above ground stems. These stems are not roots, but are true stems that grow horizontally, producing new plants as they grow. These runners make bermudagrass both a blessing and a curse.
The above ground stolons and below ground rhizomes will root at the nodes. A "node" is a reproductive point along the stem where a new plant will emerge. Nodes occur every few inches. Each new plant that emerges from a node is a clone of its mother plant.
Once a plant has rooted and emerged from the node, you can actually cut the stolon separating it from the mother plant, and the new rooted plant will continue to grow. It will then take on the features of a mother plant by sending out new stolons and rhizomes. There is an advantage to cutting stolons. Cutting the stolons between the mother plant and daughters is sometimes done by turf managers to accelerate grass spread and to thicken grasses.
When the stem is cut to separate the mother from the daughter plants, the separated daughter plant becomes a new mother plant and starts sending out stems and rhizomes and the process starts over. For more infomation on rhizomes and stolons, click on the Plant Structure page.
The roots of bermudagrass can grow quite deep, sometimes reaching over 24 inches. These deep roots help ensure the survival of the species during drought.
Special Note : Common bermudagrass Cynodon is considered a weed in some states. Hybrid and improved varieties may be legal, however. If you are uncertain you should check with your local university extension office before planting. Once it is started, it can be difficult to permanently eliminate. This grass type can be very invasive. It can even displace other grasses. The seeds are so small, they can be transported from yard to yard by lawn mowers, birds, shoes, or other means.
There are a number of herbicides labeled to kill bermudagrass. The most effective method is to use "Round-Up" glyphosate. If you choose this method, first, do not cut the grass for a few weeks to ensure there is sufficient vegetation to absorb the chemical.
Second, make sure you spray when the grass is actively growing, not when it is stressed or in a drought state. It may take a couple applications to ensure it is gone. Round Up is non-selective and will kill every grass type it touches.
Round-up breaks down quickly after touching the soil, so you can reseed or replant as soon as practical. If any seed is in the soil, however, it can germinate. Round-up has no residual effect, so it only kills the grass that is actively growing when it was sprayed. If you have bermudagrass growing in tall fescue, you can use the herbicide called Ornamec.
It controls several types of grasses without harming the fescue. Be sure to follow label instructions. To keep the rhizomes underground stems out of garden areas, you need to dig a trench and put in a border around the garden. Make sure the border you use is placed deeper than the rhizome depth and seal all seams or holes. Use plastic or other ground covering as a barrier in the garden. Advantages and disadvantages of bermuda grass. Bermudagrass is easy to grow.
It takes no effort at all. It grows in full sun and thrives in hot weather. It can grow in almost any well drained soil and makes a thick lawn. Common bermudagrass and the improved varieties of common bermudagrass , which is different from the hybrid varieties , can be started from seed and has better drought tolerance than the hybrid varieties.
Common bermudagrass seed is less expensive than most warm season grass seeds. It can survive a little flooding, but not prolonged. The common varieties do not require as much fertilization as the hybrids, however, both types need a high nitrogen program to maintain a dense turf.
An actively growing and thick turf will prevent most weed growth. All varieties are well suited for high traffic areas such as athletic fields, golf courses, schools and playgrounds. If damaged, it recovers and heals quickly. It performs well under moderate wear and soil compaction. Common bermuda will work but some of the negative characteristics can be avoided with a bermuda hybrid.
Many hybrid varieties of bermuda grass have been developed. Each has characteristics that make it best suited for slightly different growing conditions or applications. In most cases the hybrid varieties do not put out seed stalks and they are slower to put out runners.
This makes them less invasive and an excellent choice for many lawn areas. They tend to look best when mowed short with a reel type lawnmower, rather than the typical rotary mower. These can only be established from sod, plugs or stolons. I am in the process of compiling photos of typical lawn varieties. Until those are prepared, you can check out Seedland.
Hopefully these bermuda grass pictures and descriptions have provided the information you need to make an accurate identification. Do you have any remaining questions or lingering doubts about your garden project or problem? Please don't hesitate to contact the Garden Counselor for a free, personalized review of your situation.
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Go to Top of Page. It quickly grows from seed or sod into a dense lawn that is capable of out-competing weeds, and is highly tolerant of insect and disease pests. It thrives in heat and is drought tolerant. It grows roots deep underground to access hard-to-reach moisture, and simply goes dormant in the driest of weather.
And Bermuda grass is extremely resilient. If a large patch is damaged, it has an incredible ability to regenerate from the deep, creeping roots, and via mower clippings that land on bare soil and then root in. Ornamental beds, vegetable gardens, paver patios, driveway, and other lawns adjacent to Bermuda lawns are at risk of invasion.
Typical maintenance includes regular mechanical and chemical edging during the growing season when Bermuda grass creeps out of bounds both above and below ground. Homeowners and landscapers use lawn edgers to sculpt crisp edges along driveways and lawn borders, then follow behind with glyphosate weed killer to prevent Bermuda shoots from sprouting in mulched areas, pavement cracks, and other non-lawn areas. A real challenge ensues, since the chemical controls, both conventional and organic, that kill Bermuda grass also kill other types of lawn grass.
Getting rid of Bermuda grass is not an easy task, and it is a task that is never finished. Spraying a light mist over the plants is safe, as only a few drops will make their way into the soil, and such small quantities will neutralize and disperse quickly.
Do not dispose of any leftover mixture by pouring it into the soil. Vinegar is acidic, which kills plants but can also cause chemical burns on skin in high concentrations, so wear safety gear when mixing and applying vinegar as an herbicide. The acidity of salt and vinegar will kill any plant when applied to it, not just Bermuda grass, so this is best for killing a broad area.
You can dig up Bermuda grass, but it can be difficult. Digging up Bermuda grass is really only the best solution if the grass is in a small area and no other options are available.
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