Bermuda Grass Seeding

Improving Thin Patches In A Bermuda Grass Lawn

One of the most popular lawns in the warm weather zone is that created using Bermuda Grass. One of the benefits of Bermuda Grass lawns is that it’s quite hardy and can be grown as a pure lawn. That is, there is no need to mix other grass types with it.

As a gardener, you can manage your lawn based purely on what Bermuda Grass prefers – you don’t have to compromise to look after other grass types. No matter how well you look after a lawn, there will always be times when it starts to thin out in patches. Improving those thin patches is a fairly easy task.

To begin with, mow your lawn as usual, then check the soil where the lawn is thinning. It may need a little fertilizer and perhaps even lime just to sweeten the soil a little. Rake the area to be repaired to remove any debris, then use a lawn repair tool to perforate through to the soil. When over sowing, be sure to use a Bermuda Grass variety that is best suited to the conditions. For example, if that particular patch receives several hours of shade each day, then use a shade-tolerant variety.

Once sown, water that area lightly and keep it moist until the seeds germinate. You should also ensure the thin lawn patches being repaired are traffic free until after you have cut it again. Within weeks you should notice the bare patches filling, and within a month, those bare patches should be gone. Bermuda Grass makes a great lawn, and in most cases, is quite hardy. When you do notice thin patches, repair them immediately and your lawn will look great all summer.

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Getting That Putting Green Like Finish To Your Lawn

Putting greens on golf courses in the U.S. are typically grown using Bent Grass (75%) or Bermuda Grass (25%). The warm weather states such as Florida and Louisiana tend to use Bermuda Grass while the cooler and transitional zone states rely more on Bent Grass. Whichever lawn grass you use, if you want that putting green-like finish then it will take hard work.

Bent Grass is a difficult grass to work with. It takes plenty of water, regular fertilizer, and mowing as often as every second day during the growing season. Bent Grass does not like hot dry weather or really cold winters, and while it can be used in domestic situations, that was never its intended use. Well maintained, you can cut Bent Grass to one inch and it will survive reasonably well. While it will look great, it does not take traffic at all well so is best used for small ornamental types lawns.

Bermuda Grass is one of the more favored grasses, especially in the southern regions. One of the real pluses for growing Bermuda Grass is that it is drought resistant and, if well maintained, will take traffic and still look great. The downside to Bermuda Grass is that it is deep rooted and can and will invade garden beds if not kept in check. Let it take a hold of a garden bed and it can be hard to remove.

Like Bent Grass, you can cut Bermuda Grass to an inch if you want that real putting green like finish, but a little longer puts less stress on the grass and can still look good.

Repairing damaged patches of either Bermuda Grass or Bent Grass is a straightforward job. Use a lawn seeding tool to perforate the lawn thatch, then sow your seed. Water well and keep moist and you’ll find it hard to pick that damaged area in five or six weeks.

Obtaining a putting green-like finish is hard work and can place some stress on your lawn. This can leave it susceptible to attack by insects or disease, causing more damage than they would to a less stressed lawn. The finished result can look better, but you really do need to ask yourself if it is worth all the extra work.

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Sow Bermuda Grass Seed For A Great All Purpose Lawn

If you have a variety of pets, or highly active children, then Bermuda Grass is one of the better options of those in warm season regions. Bermuda Grass is drought tolerant and can withstand a lot of traffic. In fact, many sporting fields are based on a Bermuda Grass seed mix.

While Bermuda Grass is drought tolerant, it isn’t drought proof. For best results, give it a good long drink once a week and keep it well trimmed. The unfortunate side effect of a Bermuda lawn is that it will require a lot of maintenance. In summer, it will grow quite quickly and may need mowing at least weekly. If you keep it to the recommended two inches in height, it will definitely need a weekly mow in summer to keep it looking good.

Because it is a high maintenance lawn, be sure to have a good lawn tool kit. Your mower blades need to be sharp and your mower in good operation. A lawn repair tool can quickly help to repair any problem areas and a good soaking sprinkler system can ensure there is plenty of water.

While common Bermuda Grass looks good, it is not very resilient to many of the common pest and diseases that invade lawns throughout spring and summer. There are several different hybrids that are available, and each has better protection against these problems. If you have common Bermuda Grass, and pests and diseases are affecting your lawn, consider repairing with a hybrid. You can also oversow with a hybrid right now if you want to improve your lawn.

The best defense against pests and diseases is a good lawn care routine. Mow regularly and high, don’t over-water (or under-water), and don’t over fertilize. Slow release fertilizers are best as they only break down as water is added, and then only slowly. Your lawn becomes most susceptible to pests and diseases when it is under stress. Keep the stress down and your lawn will fight off these invaders all summer long.

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Keeping A Wintered Eye On Your Bermuda Grass

According to the experts, it’s winter now so your Bermuda Grass should be going dormant. That will be true if the conditions are right. However, if the temperature rises above 60 for two or three days, you may suddenly find your lawn getting a short spurt of growth and color. The danger is in leaving your lawn that little bit longer.

In the south where winters are often much milder, it is not unusual to get two or three days where temperatures are much higher. One or two of these periods and your lawn won’t gain too much growth. Three or four and your lawn could suddenly look quite untidy. As a gardener, you then need to decide whether or not to drag the lawn mower out to give it a quick cut.

There is no real need to cut your lawn if it is getting a little long. The extra length will help to keep weeds out and it will help to keep any moisture in. If you are prone to the occasional frost, then you will need to take extra care too prevent to much foot traffic. Longer grass tends to be damaged more than shorter grass when it comes to frosts and foot traffic.

If you have had a burst of sunshine that has rejuvenated your lawn, even in mid winter, trimming the top can be beneficial to your lawn. You need to be mindful that you don’t take too much off the top since that could cause damage at a time when it will struggle to repair itself. Cut too short and you will damage the crown, leaving it susceptible to pests and diseases. The last thing you want in early spring is to be dragging out your lawn care tools to resow your lawns.

While it may be winter, any warm spells will trigger growth in your lawns, especially Bermuda Grass. Keep an eye on it and only cut it if it starts to look ragged.

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Winter Lawn Care Tips For Bermuda Grass

One of the most popular grass types in use is Bermuda Grass. It looks great when maintained properly and while it may go into a dormant phase during winter, that doesn’t mean you can stop looking after it. In many areas, particularly in the south, winter often hails a dry season where rainfall drops rather than increases. This is why the nation is divided into zones when it comes to lawns. The cold weather zone often has winter snow, the transitional zone either light snow, sleet or rain, and warm weather zone mild winter temperatures with lower rainfalls.

Many gardeners also have a Winter Rye-grass mixed in with their Bermuda Grass, or they oversow every fall with Rye. This maintains a green looking lawn when their Bermuda Grass goes dormant. Lower rainfall means that most lawns will require supplemental watering. This is best done when the weather predictions are for fine sunny days. Water early, water deep, and only water every 10-14 days. This will ensure the roots don’t dry out and cause them to die off. You need to maintain a good strong healthy root system over winter to ensure a good growth habit in spring and summer.

You can also do minor repair work in winter, but only if you are not subject to frosts. The easiest way to repair any damaged areas is by using a lawn seeding tool to perforate the surface then oversowing with the same type of seed that is in your lawn. This should be done when the weather forecast is for fine days for at least a week ahead. Water the seed in well then only water again if the soil starts to dry out.

If you want to give your grass seed a boost, create a mini green house by making a plastic igloo over the area patched. Use a clear plastic sheet and several metal hoops to create your igloo – be sure to leave open ends for air flow. You will find your lawn seed germinates well in the igloo and grows quite quickly. After 14 days you can start to remove the igloo during the day, only returning it at night. Once your new grass has a good inch or two of growth, you can remove the igloo altogether.

Don’t fertilize Bermuda Grass in winter since this will only causing burning. Bermuda Grass is generally dormant so fertilizer will only feed weeds, or get washed away, neither conducive to good gardening. Mow only when the grass requires it, water it regularly, and you Bermuda Grass will be ready to become a real lawn in the spring.

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Fall Is Not The Best Time For Bermuda Grass Seeding

If you are considering over sowing your lawn with Bermuda Grass to gain a better finish next summer, wait until spring. Bermuda Grass seeds require a warming climate rather than a cooling climate to both germinate then flourish. If you do want to over seed now, then you will need to prepare well.

Bermuda Grass seed needs a ground temperature of around 65 degrees to germinate. The optimum air temperature is between 75-90 degrees and while you may be experiencing these conditions, Bermuda Grass really needs these conditions for around 60 days – that takes us into winter when the temperatures are often falling dramatically, except perhaps in the south.

For sowing in fall, you need to use an un-hulled grass seed. This will survive the winter reasonably well and come to life as soon as conditions are right. Sowing now means you will get an early start on germination in spring – just don’t expect to see any action before hand. If you do need some cover through winter, then include a liberal amount of Winter Rye. This will thrive now until the end of winter and then die back in spring, just when your Bermuda Grass is germinating.

Bermuda Grass needs a good 1/4 inch of soil cover to germinate so over sowing on top of your lawn is pointless. Cut your lawn reasonably short (shorter than normal – and collect and discard the clippings) then use a lawn planting tool to perforate through to the soil below. Sow your seed liberally, especially if you are include a Winter Rye, then water lightly.

The Winter Rye should sprout fairly quickly while the un-hulled Bermuda Grass will lie dormant until the soil starts to warm in early spring. Then watch it come to life and turn your grass into a great lawn. If you have the patience, wait until late winter or early spring to sow for better results.

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Archives

Improving Thin Patches In A Bermuda Grass Lawn

Getting That Putting Green Like Finish To Your Lawn

Sow Bermuda Grass Seed For A Great All Purpose Lawn

Keeping A Wintered Eye On Your Bermuda Grass

Winter Lawn Care Tips For Bermuda Grass

Fall Is Not The Best Time For Bermuda Grass Seeding

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