Bermuda
Facts and Information about Bermuda GrassBermuda grass is among the many popular warm season grasses. It can be easily planted from sod, grass plugs or grass seeds. This type of grass is planted for traffic tolerant pastures, golf courses, sports turf, athletic fields, beautiful grass lawns and more.
Bermuda grass is also a perennial grass that usually grows in sub-tropical, tropical as well as the transition zones.Bermuda grass grows is many soil types, drought resistant and makes a perfect turf if mowed and fertilized right. Although common Bermuda grass produces a lot of unsightly seeds, it is still often used on home lawns because of the economy and ease of establishment. With proper management, Bermuda grass is proven to provide a great quality turf.
However, it is of note that the new hybrid Bermuda grass are, in general, far superior.
Bermuda grass or Cynodon dactylon is grown as forage for livestock or as a turfgrass. However, it can also be a very invasive weed. It has a lot of other common names which include wiregrass, dogtooth grass, devilgrass or couch grass.
The new improved Bermudagrass hybrids, such as Tifway, Tifdwarf, Tifgreen and Santa Ana with a longer season of dark green colors and fine leaves have actually be developed specifically to be used as turfgrass. Such hybrid varieties, however, don’t produce seeds, unlike the common bermudagrass that produces seeds, which remain viable in soil for at least two years.Characteristics of Bermuda GrassBermuda grass is actually a low-growing, wiry perennial with two kinds of shoots such as the belowground or the rhizomes and the aboveground or stolons. The rhizomes and stolons have the ability to root in the soil, hence creating new plants when they are cut and then left on moist soil or when they grown out from their original plant.However, in areas where the soil isn’t been disturbed, the rhizomes are shallow, about one to six inches. In areas where the soil has been tilled or spaded deeper than six inches or under sidewalks, against solid structures like walls and building foundations and in sandy soil, the rhizomes may be even deeper than six inches.The leaves of Bermuda grass are normally smooth as well as pointed with an obvious ring of white hairs at the sheath and blade’s junction.
The stems often have a papery leaf sheath at every node. In moist soils, the stems are rooting at the nodes. The flowering stems bear a terminal group of 2 to 7 branches that look like spikes that often originate in a whorl on the stem’s tip. The flowering stem of Bermuda grass can be compared to that of the crabgrass but the spike-like branches on this kind of grass often originate about one-eighth to one-fourth inch apart at the stem’s end, although they are closer sometimes. The individual spike on the Bermuda grass’ flowering stem originate on similar point, bear 2 rows of spikelets and are one to two inches long.
Core aeration
Bermuda grass Management and Control
Bermuda grass isn’t really easy to control, most especially when the grass must be controlled selectively in an already planted turf, landscaped area or in the garden. However, it can always be managed properly without the use of any chemical using a persistent removal program or over huge areas of cultivation and through withholding water during hot seasons or summer to dry out the rhizomes and stolons. When light is excluded, the use of geotextile landscape fabric and mulches of black plastic can also be very effective over some large areas. If you choose to control the weed with the use of herbicides, keep in mind that it needs carefully timing.
The reason why Bermuda grass is a perfect grass for particular areas is also the same behind the reason why it can create problems when it begins to grow in areas where some other species grow. Bermuda grass spreads by both rhizomes and stolons. Eliminate the top and it will continue spreading and growing by the rhizomes. You can use some products on the market that can quickly and effectively move through the roots, stolons, shoots, rhizomes and other growing points of the plant. However, remember that such products shouldn’t be applied if the desirable turf is under harsh condition or stress.
Chemical Control of the Established Plants
It can be easy to control Bermuda grass in turf and ornamental landscapes with the use of post emergent herbicides, which are applied to Bermuda grass stems and foliage that are actively growing during summer and spring. The ideal time to apply such herbicides is dependent upon the herbicide type as well as the condition where the Bermuda grass is growing.
There are basically two types of herbicides designed to kill or eliminate mature Bermuda grass: the grass-selective herbicides that kills only the plants in the grass family and the nonselective herbicides that can eliminate most plant species.
There are also other herbicides that will suppress Bermudagrass through killing the leaves the stems. Indeed, suppressing the grass will not eliminate it permanently in the area, as there’s no effect on the system of rhizome, but this can be enough to foster the healthy growth of your desirable turf species.
Proper Maintenance and Care for your Bermuda Grass Lawn
- Mowing: Bermuda grass is often considered as the most demanding of all the grass families to mow. However, this happens often when the incorrect mower is used. This grass should be ideally reduced to a height of 1 to 1 ½ inches only.
- Watering: Bermuda grass lawns need water to remain healthy and green. Watering your Bermuda grass lawn is a necessity. It can be done once a week to force the roots of the Bermuda grass to dig down further towards that water available when its own supply becomes exhausted.
- Fertilization: Even though Bermudagrass generally needs a lower amount of fertilizer, Bermuda grass used in erosion control situations and average lawns needs fertilizer.
Bermuda grass requires a minimum level of maintenance, has the tendency towards aggressive growth and has great tolerance for drought, sun and extreme heat, making it an ideal grass for sports turf.
For more information about Bermuda grass please contact Perfect Leaf Management. PLM Environmentally Proactively Smart® programs will insure the health and protection of your bermuda lawn exceeds your expectation!