Those With Bermuda Grass Must Read This

By Dewey J Capasso

For southern lawns, Bermuda grass is a sturdy, low growing, highly durable option. It's known for being both drought and heat resistant while offering the added potential benefit of savings on your water bill. Still it will give you a lovely, medium-green lawn that can stand up to plenty of foot traffic from the neighborhood kids without looking worse for wear.

Generally this is considered to be an easy care variety that will thrive with just the least bit of attention. When it is emerging from its dormant period you'll want to rent a aerator and run over your yard thoroughly. Dethatching is another good idea if called for. This way water can penetrate down to the roots more easily.

Even with a reputation of drought tolerance that doesn't mean you shouldn't water. Because if you do so deeply you'll not only encourage deep root development but your turf will take on rich, green carpet-like appearance. While the deeper roots will give it enhanced survivability during dry spells.

Did I mention Bermuda grass loves sunlight? To thrive it needs full sun for most of the day. So don't go planting this sun loving strain in the shade and expect lush success. Yet given plenty of sun it will give you a nice tight turf that can withstand wear better than most grasses.

You can generally mow Bermuda grass quite short. In fact that's what you want to do. Cutting it to a height of about an inch or so is best. Mowing to that height twice a week will result in a stand of turf that is green, dense and even in appearance.

Even though Bermuda grass is a variety that adapts well to poorer soil with good drainage fertilizing can't hurt. Once it shows signs of greening up and is actively growing again in the spring you'll want to feed then. And again in the fall. Applying nitrogen at the rate of one or two pounds per thousand square feet will produce vigorous growth.

Weeds don't stand much of a chance here. Once established Bermuda grass can hold its own without much help from you. Then too, mowing regularly will keep weeds from gaining a foot hold by eliminating their flower heads as doing so prevents them from going to seed.

As it gets cooler and the season changes Bermuda grass will start to look like it's dead as it browns out or goes dormant. Some like to over seed with an winter rye to maintains their lawn's green color during the cooler part of the year. Others don't miss cutting the grass so leave it as is.

Warm season Bermuda grass is popular because it has many desirable traits homeowners covet.. You will find it to be very hardy, durable and resilient. Plus being heat-loving it requires relatively little supplemental water once it has become established. One other plus is it can usually fed off the encroachment of weeds without help from you. - 29857

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