Bermuda grass will typically go dormant when the temperature of the ground drops below 55 degrees F for an extended period of time. While a single drop to that temperature may not lead to your grass entering dormancy, you can come to expect this to happen in the colder months of the year.

How Long is Bermuda Grass Dormant?

The amount of time that Bermuda grass remains dormant is up to where you live and how long you can expect your low temperatures to last. I

f you had an abnormally cold month, then you may get away with your Bermuda grass remaining dormant for only a couple of weeks, but this can stretch into months.

In most cases, Bermuda grass is planted in the warmer southern states, so you don’t have to worry about the dormancy period lasting too long.

In some states, Bermuda grass may not even go dormant because of how high the average temperature is, even in the colder months.

How Do You Get Bermuda Out of Dormancy?

Unless you have a way of controlling the climate of your yard year-round, there isn’t much that you can do to get Bermuda grass out of dormancy. Even though we mentioned that a lack of moisture is the main reason why the grass goes dormant, you won’t be able to get out of it by watering it. While you still need to water the grass, we’ll discuss that further later on.

The best way to get Bermuda out of dormancy is simply to stay patient, as it will eventually come out of its dormant state as soon as the temperature and weather conditions are ideal for it. As we’ve previously stated, this depends on the month and exactly where you’re located.

Which Months Does Bermuda Grass Get Dormant?

The dormant months of Bermuda grass are entirely dependent on the region that you live in, and some areas don’t even have dormancy for Bermuda grass unless there are extraordinary conditions. For example, if you live in Southern California, Florida, or the Southwest, then your grass probably won’t go dormant.

However, if you live on the Gulf Coast, then you can expect the dormancy period to last between December and January. On the Atlantic Coast, you can expect to have to deal with your grass going dormant between mid-November and mid- to late-March.

Should You Cut Dormant Bermuda Grass?

When Bermuda grass is dormant, it essentially stops growing, and this means that it won’t be able to heal after you cut it. However, there are a few fringe cases in which you can cut your Bermuda grass while it’s still dormant, and this is usually just before it exits the dormant phase.

When you notice that your soil is starting to rise above 60 degrees F consistently, then you can expect your Bermuda grass to exit its dormant phase shortly. When this happens, mow your lawn once, at a height of about 1 inch to get rid of dead grass and create healthier lawn when it starts to grow back.

Should You Water Dormant Bermuda Grass?

If temperatures are below 40 degrees F, then you should never water your dormant Bermuda grass because of the risk of the water freezing and damaging your lawn. You should also let any frost on your grass melt in the morning before you start watering it if temperatures are above 40 degrees F.

Also, be sure to cut down on the amount of water you provide the grass during its dormant phase. You should only stick to about half an inch of water every week, which is about a half hour of active sprinkling. If you’re in a rainy area, you may not need to water your Bermuda grass at all when it’s dormant.

Is it Okay to Spray Roundup on Dormant Bermuda?

If your grass has only just gone dormant, then you may feel like it’s the best possible time to attack those pesky weeds that are popping up on your lawn. Unfortunately, Glyphosate weed killers require the grass to be active so that they can work, if you use Roundup while your grass is dormant, you’re just wasting your time.

Also read ->How to Kill Weeds in Dormant Bermuda

You should stick to using Roundup between spring and summer for this very reason. This is because Glyphosate weed killers like Roundup enter the grass’s system through its leaves, but these pathways will be closed off to the weed killer while the Bermuda grass is dormant.

Also read – > Tenacity Vs Roundup

Should You Use Milorganite on Dormant Bermuda Grass?

Milorganite is one of the most effective ways to keep your grass fertilized because of how the microbes that make it up enter the grass’s system and slowly give off nitrogen. This nitrogen helps the soil become richer and ensures that your Bermuda grass grows more healthily.

Much like when you cut dormant Bermuda grass, you’ll want to wait until it’s just about to leave its period of dormancy to ensure that you get the best possible results out of your milorganite. Due to how long it takes Bermuda grass to grow, slow-release fertilizers like milorganite are the best possible choice.

Conclusion

Bermuda grass is highly dependent on the region in which it is grown, so you can expect to deal with the most dormancy in regions on the Atlantic Coast like North and South Carolina. In some places, you may not even have to go through a dormancy period with your grass, like in Florida.

While the amount of maintenance you have to do when your grass is dormant will drop significantly, make sure that you keep watering it and caring for it to ensure that it can rebound better and stronger than ever.

Also read

Will Bermuda Grass take over Weeds

Will St. Augustine Take Over Bermuda Grass?

Will Atrazine Kill Bermuda Grass?

Therefore if you are growing Bermuda grass, it’s good to develop a specific and proven lawn routine to keep it in top condition. 

When Bermuda is cultivated in a correct manner, it will prevent weeds from building up a competitive presence in your garden – making weed infestations a thing of the past.

Here are some techniques to keep your Bermuda grass healthy and dominant…

Methods to Remove Weeds Naturally in Bermuda

Rather than polluting your garden with herbicides, it’s always a better idea to find more natural ways to keep weeds at bay.

Luckily, since Bermuda grass isn’t affected so much by most weed species, there are a few methods you can use to remove weeds naturally.

Mowing Techniques

Typically you would mow your Bermuda to a height of between one to two inches. However, if there are weeds present in your lawn, switch up your mowing height so that your grass is longer. 

Anywhere between two to three inches is a good height for your Bermuda as now the grass will shade any weeds present. With less or no sunlight, the weeds on your lawn will weaken due to a reduction in photosynthesis.

Eventually, your Bermuda should overpower and potentially kill off the weeds.

Tip: Using a catcher with your lawnmower will stop weed seeds from spreading all over your lawn when you’re cutting. 

Water Bermuda Grass Correctly

To keep your Bermuda lawn green and stable, water it regularly. Every week, apply a minimum of one inch of water in one or two deep watering sessions. 

To saturate your Bermuda roots, make sure the soil is soaked to a depth of five to eight inches. In arid or hot climates, use more water, while in colder northern or wet climates, use less.

Bear in mind – drought stress can encourage competitive weeds to take root. So make sure not to over-water your Bermuda grass.

Once you’ve watered your lawn, it’s a great time to scour around looking for stand-out weeds to pluck out of the ground.

Make sure to grab any weeds as low as you can go at their base, then give them a short and sharp couple of tugs to free them from the soil.

Fertilize Your Bermuda Grass 

Fertilize your Bermuda grass once a month to keep it healthy and resistant to weed infestations. Apply a simple nitrogen-rich lawn fertilizer, and make sure to follow the product’s guidelines, as it can cause unwanted growing behaviors.

Grass development is negatively affected by a lack of nitrogen. Yet, too much nitrogen can cause your grass to outgrow its root structures.

With root structures that can’t support the overgrowth above the soil, weeds and their root structures can start to take over. 

Warning: Grass that extracts a lot of nitrogen from the soil can seriously poison grass grazing animals that consume it.

Dethatch and Aerate Your Bermuda Grass

Dethatching your grass is also advised and should be conducted once or even twice a year if you have the time.

Keep in mind that dethatching can be damaging to your lawn, so you need to allow time for your lawn to heal properly. Dethatching anymore than twice a year is likely to be detrimental to your lawn’s health.

A simple way to dethatch your Bermuda grass is to use a dethatching rake and drag it along the entirety of your lawn in one direction. Then change the direction my ninety degrees and rake the whole of your lawn again.

Afterward, you should then pick up all the loosened thatch.

Make sure to dethatch Bermuda grass thoroughly, as it is more prone to thatching than other grasses.

If the two passes of your lawn haven’t been so useful, keep going until you get stuck in deep and have lifted most of the thatch out.

Tip: Loose thatch can be collected and stored away as compost.

Aeration is also beneficial to any type of grass to help it grow. Quite simply, all you need to do is make a series of holes in your lawn to improve its drainage.

A common is that soil can become too compacted, so drainage doesn’t flow so well into some of the grass’s roots – adding holes solves this issue very well.

Either use a standard pitchfork, or you can opt for a specialist aeration tool to improve the drainage in your lawn. 

With the pitchfork method, just press down the fork with your feet around two or three inches and repeat with around a foot or two of spacing throughout your lawn.

Alternatively, you can get lawn professionals that will do the job for you if you’re not feeling up to a labor-intensive task.

Just like dethatching, the aeration process only needs to be carried out up to twice a year.

Once both dethatching and aeration have been carried out, make sure your grass gets a good dose of water and nutrients.

Tip: If you are using an aeration tool, you’ll be left with soil plugs taken from the soil when boring your aeration holes. You can leave the plugs on the grass as a fertilizer or remove them for a cleaner appearance.

Sunlight Is Key

Bermuda grass needs a lot of sunlight to stay healthy and effective at preventing weed growth. This grass species loves direct sunlight – which is why it grows so well in tropical climates.

If you have lots of trees or large shrubbery in your garden that’s overshadowing your lawn, you should consider trimming them back. 

Also read -> Does Bermuda Grass grow in Shade

Conclusion

Usually, you don’t have to resort to using herbicides to rid your Bermuda grass of weeds. Instead, a good Bermuda grass lawn care routine should be sufficient enough for you to keep those pesky weeds at bay. 

Bermuda grass can overpower many weed species when it’s growing strong and healthily. So creating conditions that promote excellent lawn health throughout the year should be your main priority.

Also read

When Does Bermuda Grass Go Dormant?

How to Kill Weeds in Dormant Bermuda

Will St. Augustine Take Over Bermuda Grass?

Will Atrazine Kill Bermuda Grass?

Sources:

1. https://www.soilquality.org.au/factsheets/soil-nitrogen-supply 
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_aerator 

After all, it certainly looks dead in the winter, turning the kind of brown most gardeners fear. But after the environment starts to turn, so does the grass into a luscious, rich green. That’s then the trade-off of the species that a lot of homeowners have accepted; while it doesn’t look very attractive in the Winter, it’s worth the payoff in Spring.

But treating dormant Bermuda grass can be tricky. Just telling what plants are weeds mixed in with brown grass is sometimes difficult. But there are two effective ways of dealing with weeds in dormant Bermuda grass: as the seeds germinate and after. Both pre and post-emergents are necessary.

Dealing With Weeds in Dormant Bermuda

Now that you know your grass is alive, it’s time to confront the weeds that are going to grow. We mentioned the use of pre and post-emergents. The former of which should be applied before the weeds have the opportunity to germinate and the latter is used for weeds that have already started to grow.

When To Apply Pre-Emergents

Usually, your lush Bermuda should be weed-free with only two applications of pre-emergent spray in the late winter and early fall, followed by on-the-spot treatments of post-emergents when you see any weeds that managed to grow.

The late winter application should take place after the soil temperature has remained around 50 degrees Fahrenheit consistently for several nights. This usually occurs in February, or at the latest early March. The product you’re using should be approved specifically for Bermuda.

Pre-emergents for Bermuda do not contain fertilizer. Fertilizing Bermuda in late winter may cause a break in the dormancy. Since Bermuda goes dormant as a self-protective measure against cold, it could be damaged by the freezing temperatures.

In the spring and summer, pre-emergents can be used to control annual and perennial weeds that keep germinating. However, if your lawn is fairly free of weeds, you can skip this process. One should also avoid aerating for three months after any application of a pre-emergent, and always irrigate after spraying unless the product directs otherwise.

When To Apply Post-Emergents

Once soil temperatures start to break over 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, weed outbreaks should be treated with post-emergents. If for some reason, your lawn is still overrun with weeds after following these steps, then a mixture of pre and post-emergents should be applied.

Recognizing When Bermuda is Dormant Vs. Dead

Because Bermuda grass stays dormant much longer than most other grasses, being able to tell what’s dead and what isn’t isn’t always just a matter of looking. For the most part, if you’re taking care of your lawn properly year-round, it’s likely just dormant. However, there are easy ways to snuff out the difference.

Try the Tug Test

Dead grass shouldn’t be hard to take out with your hands. In the winter, if you’re uncertain, take a patch of brown grass in your hand and pull. If it lifts out of the soil with little or no resistance, the grass is dead.

Any dead grass isn’t going to return in Spring, so steps should be make in replacing it.

Look for Patterns

If your entire lawn has turned the same brown color, it’s unlikely it suddenly all died at the same time. If, however, there are specific patches of brown grass, or it’s browner than other areas, then there’s a chance it’ll need to be replaced.

However, these patches could also be a sign of a larger problem like pests or disease, so you may want to consult with a professional.

Can You Put Roundup on Dormant Bermuda?

Glyphosate, more commonly known by the brand name Roundup, is a nonselective herbicide. It will kill most growing plants, which is why it’s carefully and directly applied to weeds. However, in dormant Bermuda, homeowners often use it to kill weeds while the grass rests.

This is indeed an effective way of handling weeds, with one major caveat: You don’t want to wait too long.

When Is It Too Late To Spray Roundup on Bermuda?

Timing is everything. While glyphosate is effective in killing weeds in dormant Bermuda, but if you wait too long to use it, it can stunt the growth of the grass.

If you do intend to apply Roundup, doing so in January or February – preferably when temperatures are just over 60 degrees Fahrenheit – is the ideal time. It’s also worth mentioning that the amount per acre listed on the product should be followed, never more than 16 ounces.

Research has also suggested that it matters what kind of Bermuda you have, with common Bermuda being more tolerant to glyphosate than a hybrid, such as Tifway.

Will Roundup Kill Dormant Bermuda?

While studies have shown that using it as late as early March didn’t kill any of Bermuda, but it did delay the grass’ green-up. It will also kill any semi-dormant Bermuda, making it even more important that pre-emergents with fertilizer are avoided.

How Do You Kill Poa Annua In Dormant Bermuda?

Poa Annua is an annual bluegrass quite common in turfgrass. While it may work for golf courses, it’s a pesky weed on lawns. Most homeowners control Poa Annua with a pre-emergent, which with a proper application will prevent the seeds from sprouting, however, its seeds can survive several seasons without sprouting.

This is why you must follow treatments with post-emergents in your thick, lovely Bermuda. Following the schedule provided earlier, with treatments in late Winter and early Fall, should help rid your lawn of this irritant.

As you’ve no doubt seen by the results in Spring, Bermuda grass is worth the extra care. Most Bermuda lawns benefit from regular, caring treatment in the dormant months, leading to beautiful growing seasons.

You might also want to mix them for better results depending on the soil and the area’s microclimate. Or maybe you have some pre-existing Bermuda grass in your garden, and you are looking to switch to St. Augustine or vice versa.

Regardless of what the case may be for you, this article is here to help you make up your mind. We have gathered all the relevant information needed to answer the question in play: Will St. Augustine take over Bermuda?

Bullet point summary:

Whether one or the other variety of grass will prevail depends on the circumstances. Many things are in play and can affect the outcome, and you will not be in a position to control all of them.

You can, however, control the four most important factors, or at least adjust your decision accordingly:

1. Temperature. Both varieties thrive in warm climates; however, St. Augustine cannot tolerate cold seasons, while Bermuda can handle lower temperatures. If you live in an area with colder winters, no matter how warm it is the rest of the year. St. Augustine will be at a disadvantage.
2. Sunshine. Both Bermuda and St. Augustine need sunshine to grow. Their difference is that while St. Augustine will do great with 5-6 hours of sunshine daily, Bermuda needs sunshine the whole day. Its growth will be stunted, and it will eventually die out otherwise.
3. Water needs. St. Augustine requires a lot more water than Bermuda. It will demand up to four times more water during the warm season. If you want to inhibit the growth of St. Augustine, simply cut back on the water.
4. Fertilizer. St. Augustine is a fertilizer-intensive grass, while Bermuda needs fertilizer only three times per year. So you can adjust your fertilizing schedule based on which of the two you want to benefit from.

Bermuda vs. St. Augustine, which one will take over?

The answer to that is somewhat complicated. It depends. It can be Bermuda, it can be St. Augustine, or in some cases, they might just coexist in balance. Let’s divide this into two sections to simplify things. Things which you can control and things you need to adjust to.

• Things you need to adjust to

First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Climate is of the utmost importance for plants. So, if you live in a non-tropical area, St. Augustine is already at a disadvantage. The tropical zone in the US includes, for example, southern Florida and Hawaii.

In general, the warmer the climate, the better it is for St. Augustine. It will fare well in tropical and subtropical zones alike.

Problems for it begin in northern areas, where Bermuda will start having a clear edge. So, lesson number one, choose your lawn by the weather.

A second major factor related to the first one is sunshine. As we said, Bermuda loves sunshine. In fact, anything other than at least eight hours of direct sunlight will not allow it to show its true potential.

St. Augustine, on the other hand, can do well with even five or six hours of sunshine.

Therefore, areas with plenty of sunshine are great for Bermuda grass, while it will have problems growing in areas with fewer daily average hours of sunshine.

It is easy to find out how the place you intend to plant the grass fares regarding sunshine by searching on Google.

So, to sum up, you can tell whether your St. Augustine has the potential to fare well and take over the Bermuda grass in your garden (and vice versa) by examining the climate conditions.

The more suitable the climate for a variety, the easier it will be to compete and take over.

• Things you can (and should) control

There are common strategies in play here. Since, as we mentioned, the two varieties differ in water, sunlight, and fertilizer needs, you can tweak those two variables to suit your goals.

Of course, water does not only come from your supply, since rain also enters the equation, but we will ignore that for now.

Since you will be planting St. Augustine in hot, dry areas, it will not be much of an influence.

Or at least, we assume that is what you will be doing since it does not make sense to plant St. Augustine grass anywhere else but in those climate zones!

Let’s go through the game plan. Assuming you have both varieties in your garden now, we will try to make the Bermuda grass take over. If you remember from our discussion above, St. Augustine is demanding with respect to fertilizer requirements, while Bermuda needs fertilizing only three times a year.

Imagine then what would happen if we only fertilized the soil that often? The St. Augustine lawn would soon perish, and Bermuda would inevitably take over.

The strategy works the reverse way too. Let’s see if there is anything we can do to help St. Augustine win the battle. Well, Bermuda grass does not handle the lack of sunlight so well.

So, we can try to manipulate that to our advantage. We can try to bring some shade over the garden for a few hours a day until we see that Bermuda grass is starting to suffer.

Another very common hack is to cut the lawn at the highest setting of the lawnmower. Bermuda grass is so desperate for sunlight that even its own long stems can shade it out and stunt its growth.

St. Augustine does not face this issue. So by trimming the grass at the highest setting, you can aid the growth of St. Augustine and prevent or even reverse the advance of Bermuda grass.

These were just examples, and hopefully, you get the idea so far. Whichever side of the scale you want the balance to tip towards, Bermuda or St. Augustine, you can adjust sunlight, fertilizer, and water quantity accordingly.

Is there a winner? Which one should I choose?

No, there are definitely no winners and losers here. You can choose to grow whichever variety you want, as long as it fits the climate of your area. They are both equally aesthetically pleasing lawns when taken care of.

One point you might want to take into consideration is that Bermuda grass is more injury-tolerant while St. Augustine is more maintenance-heavy.

So perhaps if you have pets or children roaming in the garden, you will want to give planting St Augustine a second thought.

A dog in the family will make everyone spend more time in the garden, and that is great for our kids in today’s world.

It will not be great for your grass, however, since in this case, it will be a lot more difficult for St. Augustine to compete with Bermuda and take over if the dog or the children are continuously stepping over it.

And we all know how stubborn both pets and children can be in acting as they wish in the garden!

Now that we have delve deeper into the above points and explain how to set up your garden environment to account for them, let’s look at the main differences between the two lawn varieties.

St. Augustine Grass vs. Bermuda Grass

• Appearance, how to tell them apart

Bermuda grass tends to have shorter and flatter leaves than its counterpart. St. Augustine has distinctively broad leaves, which some people describe as ”coarse”. It also has longer stems.

People usually refer to St Augustine grass as dark and green with flat leaves, whereas Bermuda lawn is on the greyer scale. It has short blades, and the leaves are sort of gray-green.

Bermuda is trimmed a lot lower than St. Augustine, and it is the kind of lawn you will find in golf courses and soccer fields.

• Origins and suited climates

Both plants are brought into the United States from abroad. St. Augustine’s birthplace and habitats are the Gulf of Mexico, the West Indies, and West Africa. Later on, it moved to Brazil, and the first report of it in the USA was in South Carolina sometime in the 1800s. By 1840, it was also sighted in Australia and New Zealand.

Bermuda grass, on the other hand, probably originated somewhere in tropical Africa. It then made its way to Australia and the Bengal region of India and Bangladesh.

The story goes that it was brought into the US by accident. Contaminated hay, which was used as bedding, was the medium of transport. Millions of seeds were distributed across the eastern United States and then spread to the south.

Nowadays, both varieties are found and can thrive in the American continent’s southern tropical and subtropical zones, while Bermuda grass can also grow in the northern transition zones.

Bermuda grass, being more drought and cold-tolerant, is the most widespread variety in the US.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our guide provided you with enough information to answer whether one variety will take over the other on your own. It is a highly circumstantial thing, and you can influence what happens according to your wants.

It might seem a daunting task at first, but as soon as you get the basics down, you will be set for success!

Also read

When Does St. Augustine Grass Go Dormant?

When Does Bermuda Grass Go Dormant?

Centipede vs St. Augustine – Pro’s and Cons

How Do You Revive St. Augustine Grass

How to Make St. Augustine Grass Spread Quickly

That is, however, only a good thing if you’re in the group that likes the resilient grass. If you view it as a weed, its heartiness and tolerance may be an annoyance to you, in which case you’ll be looking for a way to rid it from your lawn to let your grass of choice take center stage.

In this article, we’ll go over atrazine—a popular herbicide—and its effect on Bermuda grass.

Will Atrazine Kill Bermuda Grass?

Although a hardy plant, atrazine can kill Bermuda grass if applied at the right time. When used in spring, either right before the grass has emerged or shortly after it has sprouted, the herbicide is an effective killer of Bermuda grass.

It’s important not to wait too long after the grass has sprouted, as it will only become more resilient and therefore harder to kill. Once the grass is strongly-established later into the summer, atrazine will be mostly ineffective.

Keep in mind that spraying atrazine on dormant Bermuda grass in the winter months will also have no effect on it; atrazine does nothing to dormant grasses. It’s best to apply the herbicide when temperatures are in the mid-range, as both too hot and too cold of temperates can lower its effectiveness.

While applying atrazine does require some planning in order to properly work, it is an excellent option for getting rid of unwanted Bermuda grass.

Atrazine and its Effect on Other Grasses

Bermuda grass isn’t the only kind of grass that atrazine kills. In fact, only two common species of grass are not harmed by atrazine, which are St. Augustine and Centipede grasses.

While this does mean that atrazine is a versatile and effective herbicide for many unwanted plants, it also means that it’ll kill most other plants it comes in contact with too, including the plants or grass you planted intentionally.

So unless your grass is comprised of either St. Augustine or Centipede grass, you’ll want to choose another herbicide, or you’ll kill your entire lawn.

How Long Will it Take Atrazine to Kill Bermuda Grass?

Atrazine is a slow-acting herbicide, needing time to break down plant systems. Allow between four and six weeks after you apply atrazine to see results, as they will not happen right away.

Signs that the herbicide is working are the Bermuda leaf blades beginning to yellow at the edges, fewer runners existing from Bermuda patches, and little to no new sprouts.

What If Atrazine Isn’t Properly Killing Bermuda Grass?

Bermuda grass is incredibly tough and resilient, making it somewhat challenging to get rid of once it invades your lawn. If applied correctly, atrazine will at the very least halt the spread of Bermuda grass, although it is possible that the existing grass will remain.

If this is the case for you, there are other options out there to get your yard back to the condition you want it to be in. Ornamec 170 is a great option, as it’ll kill Bermuda grass while still being safe for most other types of grasses, including whatever your desired choice is.

It’s still always best to do a quick check to see the relation of your herbicide to your grass before doing anything—you don’t want to end up wrecking your entire lawn when you only meant to get rid of a few intruders.

Roundup or another glyphosate-based weed killer is another option for killing Bermuda grass. However, this kind of herbicide is best used as a spot treatment for pesky weeds, as it’ll also kill all other plants it comes in contact with.

It’ll wipe out your unwanted Bermuda grass, but unfortunately, it’ll do the same to your wanted grass.

How Long Does Atrazine Last After Initial Application?

Atrazine can remain active on your lawn for up to six weeks. During this time, it’ll kill Bermuda grass below the ground as it begins to germinate, as well as the grass that begins to sprout.

This is good news if you’re looking to get rid of Bermuda grass, but bad news if you plan to seed your lawn with any other grass than Centipede or St. Augustine.

The atrazine will still be active in the soil and will kill any sprouts that begin to grow, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to seed your lawn at any point during the six-week period post atrazine application.

The same rule of thumb applies to any garden beds or areas where you might plant anything that isn’t Centipede or St. Augustine grass.

Atrazine and the Environment

Atrazine is applied topically to lawns, although unfortunately, it doesn’t stay there forever. The runoff of atrazine often ends up in reservoirs and, therefore, in the tap water of the surrounding area, which can pose a risk to the residents.

If found in greater amounts than the health standard, it can cause health risks such as low blood pressure, muscle spasms, and damage to the adrenal glands. With long-term exposure, there could be a risk of cardiovascular damage, retinal and muscle degeneration, and possibly cancer.

Those at greatest risk are the people who are regularly involved in the production and application of atrazine, so while the general public can be exposed over time, they might not experience the same level of health risks.

Not only does atrazine have an effect on humans, but it also, unfortunately, has an impact on the ecosystem and wildlife as well. Just like it does to the plants in your yard, it stops or slows the growth of flora and fauna in the wild as well.

This understandably poses a considerable risk; upsetting a delicate natural ecosystem can throw things off in a far more detrimental way than you may realize.

Animals can also be impacted by atrazine, fish, and amphibians especially. Enough exposure in the water they live in can compromise their growth, immune function, behavior, and gonadal development.

A biologist at UC Berkeley has found that atrazine in male frogs can cause them to become functionally female, as the herbicide has a drastic effect on hormones. This alters the standard reproduction rate of frogs, which can, in turn, throw the whole ecosystem out of balance.

For many understandable reasons and varying country to country, atrazine has stringent laws and is even banned in some countries. The United States by far has the least restrictive laws on herbicide, which has proven to cause problems over the years. It’s always a good idea to do your research before purchasing any kind of herbicide or pesticide.

What Exactly is Atrazine?

Atrazine is a man-made herbicide, which was registered for use for the first time in 1958. It’s apart of the triazine class—a group of herbicides that contain nitrogen.

Its use is to prevent the growth of broadleaf weeds in crops such as sugar cane and corn, as well as places like residential lawns and golf courses.

As one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States and Australia, atrazine is no stranger to the people in the world of herbicides. As of 2014, 76 million pounds of it is applied each year in the United States.

What Exactly is Bermuda Grass?

Native to subtropical and tropical countries all around the world, Bermuda grass is a perennial warm-season plant. Documents that date back to 1807 show that it was already one of the most widely used grasses in America’s Southern parts.

Being a perennial, it comes back every year starting around late spring and flourishes all the way until the late summer months.

Though it is a hearty grass that can withstand and even thrive in hot temperatures, Bermuda grass can be more sensitive to cold temperatures than some of the other grasses.

Bermuda grass has the fastest growth rate out of any of the warm-season grasses, which can be both a pro and a con depending on how you look at it. Since it grows so fast, it requires more frequent upkeep.

Although on the flip side, it can endure more heavy usage, which makes it great for golf course turfs and athletic fields.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an effective herbicide for the pesky Bermuda grass that keeps spreading throughout your perfectly manicured yard, atrazine may be the right choice for you.

Not only halting the growth of the unwanted grass, atrazine will also kill any new sprouts before they even manage to pop up.

While a popular and effective herbicide for Bermuda grass, atrazine is also excellent at getting rid of most other grasses and plants too, so be sure to do your research to ensure that you’ll only be getting rid of the unwanted weeds rather than your entire lawn.

If your yard is comprised of St. Augustine or Centipede grass, atrazine will do a perfect job at killing off the Bermuda grass, all while still keeping the rest of your lawn healthy and green.

Also read

Will St. Augustine Take Over Bermuda Grass?

Does Bermuda Grass grow in Shade: How shade Tolerant is it?

When well-nourished, what Bermuda presents in terms of aggressiveness, Zoysia counters it with persistence under diversity.

Zoysia is a slow-growing warm-season grass that is resistant to heat, drought, and heavy foot traffic. Depending on where you live, your lawn care goals, and how you use your lawn.

When switching from a Bermuda grass lawn to a Zoysia lawn, it’s better to overplant than strip and then replants.

Zoysia can’t overtake Bermuda since it’s an aggressive fast-growing lawn grass that will easily take over the slow-growing Zoysia. It’s also difficult to get rid of Bermuda as its small seeds are left behind even years after stripping it from your lawn. The seeds spread both above and below ground by rhizomes and shoots.

Zoysia vs Bermuda : Who Will Win?

Zoysia is a tough grass that can give you a beautiful dense green lawn. This versatile lawn grass is tolerant of cold and some light shade and prefers the sun with very little water and maintenance required.

Since Zoysia is a slow-growing grass it’s difficult to grow from seed without controlled optimal conditions so it’s better planted by sod, plugs, or sprigs.

Bermuda on the other hand is an aggressive warm-season lawn grass that can invade other lawn grasses, especially Zoysia and tall fescue. Managing Bermuda when it invades your lawn can be difficult because it has tenacious roots that require deep removal.

Bermudagrass control

Its resilience and tolerance to drought, heat, and heavy foot traffic makes it ideal to take over low-nutrient and difficult to maintain areas. This also makes it difficult to control in areas where you’ve already planted a grass variety you don’t want to damage or overrun.

To completely control Bermuda, you need to remove the deep rhizomes and surface stolons or kill them. The most effective way would be to use both herbicide and cultural methods.

How fast does Zoysia grass spread?

Zoysia is a popular lawn grass that does well in warm climates and is a great choice if you want to impress your neighbors and visitors.

It spreads naturally filling in all the bare spots on your lawn, however, it tends to take longer to get established than other grass types. Planting Zoysia on your lawn is a slow process when using seed which will need a good starter fertilizer with weed preventer.

The speed at which your Zoysia grass will get established and spread will depend on the Zoysia variety you choose and the climate in your area. For it to thrive you’ll also need to maintain it properly.

Fastest growing lawn grasses

Conclusion

Both Zoysia and Bermuda are warm-season lawn grasses that get established by above-ground stolons and underground rhizomes, the only difference is Bermuda grows aggressively faster than Zoysia so it can easily overtake Zoysia. 

Also Read

Will Bermuda Grass take over Weeds

How to Kill Weeds in Dormant Bermuda

Will St. Augustine Take Over Bermuda Grass?

Does Bermuda Grass grow in Shade?

How to Make Bermuda Grass Grow Thicker

Can you mix Bermuda and Zoysia?

References

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/zoysiagrass-lawn-maintenance-calendar

https://turf.missouri.edu/stat/reports/pdf/aggbermudagrowin.pdf

https://forages.oregonstate.edu/regrowth/how-does-grass-grow/developmental-phases/vegetative-phase/rhizomes-and-stolons

https://www.britannica.com/plant/Bermuda-grass

https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/home-and-garden/bermuda-grass-can-invade-lawns-when-water-is-scarce-2160413/

Does bermuda grass grow in shade? No, Bermuda grass is not very tolerant to shade. Bermuda needs at least 4-6 hours of direct sun each day to thrive. Less exposure will lead to poor growth, thinning of the leaves, retarded growth, and makes it more susceptible to diseases. 

So if you have tall trees and other obstacles blocking direct sunlight on your lawn, you should consider another type of grass that can tolerate low sunlight. 

This means the growth and development of this turfgrass will largely depend on how much sunlight it gets per day. Although there are Bermuda grass varieties that require less sunlight to thrive, they still need at least 4-5 hours of direct sunlight.

Sun requirements for Bermuda grass

When you compared Bermuda grass with other turf grasses, Bermuda grass has a higher light requirement than the others. It will not thrive in shaded areas and is tolerant of both heat and drought, even dry soil, so it won’t be affected by the hotter sun during the dry months.

If Bermuda grass gets less than 4 hours of full sunlight every day, it will photosynthesize less and this will reduce the amount of energy available to the grass which leads to retarded growth which in turn reduces its tolerance to drought, heat, disease, and cold.

The intensity of the sun and the duration the sun is out during the day is also very important because it will affect the growth of the leaves, stolons, and rhizomes.

Some Bermuda grass types have improved resistance to the shade and can tolerate lee sun exposure, but they still need a few hours of sun exposure to thrive.

However, they still don’t do as well as ryegrass or Zoysia grass. 

How shade affects your Bermuda grass lawn

Bermuda is a warm-season grass that requires plenty of sunlight so shaded areas will subject it to poor growth.

It has an aggressive growth rate so it will require more maintenance than other grasses.

It’s a wear-resistant, tough, and durable lawn grass that can withstand heat and drought, but if there’s a lot of shade around your lawn, it will start to die.

Signs your Bermuda grass isn’t getting enough sunlight

Thinning of your Lawn

After some time of reduced sun exposure, you’ll notice that your lawn will start to thin out because of reduced lateral growth because there is reduced photosynthesis.

This means you’ll have a sparsed lawn and this will leave a lot of room for weeds like crabgrass or dandelion to take over your lawn.

Having thin leaves and tall stolons don’t look good on any lawn. 

Abnormally Elongated Stems

If your Bermuda grass is getting less than 60% of direct sunlight, these are very low conditions for it to thrive.

Your lawn will start to develop elongated leaves, stems, and internodes. 

Less Tolerance to Disease

The shaded areas of your Bermuda grass lawn will be more susceptible to lawn diseases like root problems, fungal infection, moss, and other diseases.

This is caused by the dew that has settled on the leaves for a longer time compared to when it’s exposed to the sun.

Shade Tolerant Bermuda Grass Types

Grass types that have thin leaves tend to thrive in the shade and celebration Bermuda grass has finer leaves and can easily achieve a denser turf and tolerate reduced light than other Bermuda varieties.

However, even shade-tolerant grass types still need at least 4 hours of direct sunlight to thrive.

Celebration Bermuda grass is a dark green Bermuda grass variety with deep and very aggressive deep roots, rhizomes, and stolons that provide excellent sod strength compared to other varieties in the same class.

It has superior wear recovery, it requires very little maintenance, and is drought resistant.

It can handle cold very well and is a great choice for your lawn if you experience heavy use and high traffic because of its aggressive growth and rapid recovery abilities.

It requires less water and mowing than your normal Bermuda grass.

Best shade grass types

Grass that grows in shady areas on your lawn tends to be moister than other parts that have ample direct sunlight, so it needs less water.

When it’s time to mow the shady spots, adjust your mower to leave the grass taller in these parts to help them absorb more sun even in the shade. Longer blades are also more resistant to fungal infections and stress.

Some common grass types can thrive in partial shade or full shade. Others prefer dappled shade or light/heavy shade.

These are some alternatives to bermuda that are more shade resistant.

Conclusion

To improve the growth and health of your Bermuda grass under the shade, you should improve sunlight penetration to the grass below, mow your Bermuda lightly to improve its ability to capture more light, reduce traffic on the shaded areas to reduce stress, and apply the right amount of nitrogen fertilizer.

However, before you plant your turf grass on your lawn, test with a few plugs to see if it’s too shady for your grass type.

Bermuda grass is a very hardy turfgrass that can plant on your lawn.

Also read

How to Make Bermuda Grass Grow Thicker

Will Zoysia Overtake Bermuda?

When Does Bermuda Grass Go Dormant?

Will Bermuda Grass take over Weeds

Will Atrazine Kill Bermuda Grass?

References and sources:

Daily Light Requirements for Bermuda Grass By J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D

Shade – Resistant Bermuda Grass – By Wayne Hanna and Bryan Maw.

Such a lawn reflects a lot on you and also adds an elegant look to your property. Planting a deep green and thick Bermuda lawn can improve the overall look of your home.

From weed infestation to low amounts of water, There are number of reasons that can cause bermuda do grow thin.

Whatever the reason, we will help you out with this article to make your bermuda grass thicker and back to its glory.

Ways to make your Bermuda grass lawn thicker

1. Mow your lawn more frequently

Mowing your lawn frequently is the first and most important step in making your grass thicker.

This will help your grass to spread and grow on the ground and eventually become thick since Bermuda grass tends to grow vertically which decreases its thickness.

You should mow a bit lower like an inch lower than you’re used to. This means you need to use the right mower for your grass type.

Bermuda grass has two varieties which include hybrid and common Bermuda grass so the mowing height is also different.

For the hybrid Bermuda grass, the mowing height is 1 ½ inch while the common Bermuda grass is 1 inch.

After mowing, water your grass and check or add some fertilizer.

2. Water your grass

Your Bermuda will grow better when the root has enough water and it will help the roots get nutrients from the ground.

Bermuda grass is drought tolerant and watering it once a week for 3-5 hours instead of short intervals throughout the week to encourage deep root growth to help the grass stay green even when it’s hot and dry.

The water will penetrate deeply into the soil so the roots dig deeper instead of forming a shallow foundation.

3. Aerate your lawn

Making small holes in your lawn using an aeration tool will help air, nutrients, and water to penetrate the roots of the grass properly.

This will help the roots grow more deeply into the soil to produce a stronger lawn.

Aeration mostly helps in reducing soil compaction, especially if your lawn has clay soil or hard-packed soil.

Aerated soil has many solid particles, organic debris, and heavy lawn thatch that occupy a lot of space that prevent proper circulation of water, air, and nutrients that can cause poor root development.

4. Apply fertilizer

For a beautiful lush green and thick lawn, fertilize your lawn in spring and early summer. But before applying you should test your lawn soil first.

If your Bermuda is thin because of low fertilizer levels, then you should increase the fertilizer levels.

The best fertilizer for Bermuda grass is the NPK with a ratio of 4 (Nitrogen), 1 (Phosphorous), and 2 (Potassium).

Applying enough slow-release fertilizer on your lawn will help stop weeds and diseases and make it more drought resistant because Bermuda grass tends to thin out during the drought season.

5. Apply pre-emergent herbicide

A lawn with weeds will tend to show signs of patchiness and thinning and if these are signs that recur every year, you should use a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring to prevent crabgrass and quackgrass weeds from germinating and choking your Bermuda grass.

If your lawn is heavily infested with weeds, apply pre-emergent every 60-90 days.

Avoid applying a pre-emergent during the hot months of June through to August because it can negatively affect the growth and development of your lawn.

Also read -> Will Bermuda Grass take over Weeds

6. Apply post-emergent

There are times when you already have weeds growing in your lawn, so you’ll need a post-emergent to get rid of crabgrass and other broadleaf weeds.

You can opt to remove the weeds by uprooting, use a pot-emergent, or other methods.

Apply the post-emergent on the affected areas of your lawn to kill the weeds in those spots.

Note that, weeds like quackgrass can be difficult to control because they spread their roots underground.

You’ll need a serious plan on how to get rid of this weed if it has infested a big part of your lawn.

7. Treat for lawn diseases

If you’ve done everything mentioned earlier and your Bermuda grass isn’t growing properly, it could have a fungal infection that will affect its growth and health.

Some common fungal infections like dollar spot, spring dead spot, and brown patch disease can also cause slow growth and thinning of your lawn grass.

Root rot disease will affect the roots and lead to poor growth and a thinning lawn.

Spring spot starts as small circular patches that spread to larger areas. This disease shows up in spring and is caused by applying excess nitrogen to your lawn.

Dead rot is caused by poorly aerated soil and some lawn insects like Japanese beetles and grub thin out your lawn.

You should find out the disease affecting your lawn so you can easily manage and make your Bermuda grass thicker.

Tips for growing Bermuda grass in the shade

• After reading the information above, you already know Bermuda grass can do well in areas with light shade, but you should avoid planting it in areas with full shade.
• You should cut down tall trees or shrubs that may be blocking the sun from reaching certain areas of your lawn.
• If you can’t remove a big tree on your lawn, consider trimming some of its branches to provide a canopy instead of full shade. The dappled sun is better than no sun for your Bermuda grass.
• If you can’t provide more sunlight to some of the shaded areas on your lawn, you can reduce the foot traffic and also keep your pets away in these areas to avoid stressing your grass.
• Mow the shaded areas less often and use a higher cutting height so the grass blades have more surface area for photosynthesis.

Also read -> Does Bermuda Grass Grow In Shade

Different types of lawns

When choosing a lawn grass variety, there are certain factors you should consider before planting the lawn grass on your turf.

Final thoughts

It takes a lot of hard work to make something beautiful and when it comes to making your Bermuda grass grow thicker, there are several steps you should follow to achieve this.

With proper maintenance, you can achieve the thickness that you want for your Bermuda grass.

Also read

Will St. Augustine Take Over Bermuda Grass?

Will Atrazine Kill Bermuda Grass?

When Does Bermuda Grass Go Dormant?

References

https://news.okstate.edu/articles/agriculture/2020/stotts_bermudagrass-mowing.html

https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/bermuda-grass-seed/mowing-bermuda-grass/

All You Need to Know About Bermudagrass – www.pennington.com

How to Care for Bermuda Grass – www.groundguys.com

]]> https://thankyourlawn.com/how-to-make-bermuda-grass-grow-thicker/feed/ 0 https://thankyourlawn.com/can-you-mix-bermuda-grass-with-zoysia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-you-mix-bermuda-grass-with-zoysia https://thankyourlawn.com/can-you-mix-bermuda-grass-with-zoysia/#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2020 11:41:02 +0000 https://thankyourlawn.com/?p=61 Read more]]> It’s very exciting putting down a new lawn, but it’s not as simple as picking any seed bag from your local hardware store. Different grass types have varying tolerance to a wide variety of factors, and also in their look, establishment methods, and maintenance.

Zoysia grass and Bermuda grass are two widely used lawn kinds of grass each with its own pros and cons.

While some people may mix two types of grass types to help in thickening their lawn, can I mix Zoysia and Bermuda grasses? The answer to this question will vary depending on the amount of sunlight or shade on your lawn.

If you have shade on your law, Bermuda grass will not thrive because it needs sunlight to flourish, and depending on the amount of shade, Zoysia grass will work better. While both kinds of grass are fine-bladed and look the same in summer, during the spring and fall, Zoysia grass will green up before Bermuda grass, and Bermuda grass will go dormant before Zoysia.

Which grass type is best for your lawn?

The grass type you select for your lawn will need 6 inches of soil to provide enough space for the root system and moisture.

Zoysia and Bermuda grass are very common lawn grasses on most lawns, they’re warm-season perennial grasses that grow actively in the summer, but go dormant and lose their color in winter.

It can be difficult to tell the two kinds of grass apart unless you compare them.

Bermuda grass

Bermuda grass is drought-resistant and requires full sun. It’s grayish-green with a medium to coarse texture and can tolerate heavy traffic. I

Its leaf blades are hairless and branched flower spikes and ¼ inch wide. This grass is established from seed, stolons, sod, or plugs and spread rapidly along rhizomes and stolons. When it rains, the grass quickly greens up and is easier to manage as a manicured sod.

Also Read –> How to Make Bermuda Grass Grow Thicker

Zoysia grass

Zoysia grass shares most of its characteristics with Bermuda grass plus it has a shade tolerance. It can tolerate as much traffic as the Bermuda grass and can also go dormant during the drought season.

Zoysia will give you a tighter sod than Bermuda which makes it better at resisting weed invasion. Most people prefer Zoysia over Bermuda because it’s more attractive with less blue in the green and it grows more upright.

However, Zoysia grows slowly along stolons and rhizomes and is tough which makes it the hardest to mow.

Zoysia grass has many varieties you can choose from. The emerald variety is fine-bladed and very attractive and St. Augustine is very popular with attractive wide blades, easy to mow, grows fast, and is shade tolerant.

Bermuda and zoysia grass side by side comparison in this video

Features of common warm and cool-grass types

Conclusion

To have the best-looking lawn, you need to consider the climate in your area, foot traffic, sunlight or shade, and maintenance. If you have a mixture of conditions, you can look for a blend of grass varieties to help improve your lawn’s hardiness.

Also read

Zoysia vs Centipede – Detailed comparison guide

References and sources

https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/household/5-best-grasses-lawn

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/many-inches-topsoil-need-grass-103877.html

https://www.hunker.com/12522129/how-to-identification-of-the-difference-between-zoysia-grass-bermuda-grass

https://grazer.ca.uky.edu/content/warm-season-perennials

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