Bermuda grass maintenance is easy compared to other turf types. To be a Bermuda grass killer, you would have to be pretty terrible at gardening! This grass is tough and even though it goes dormant in the winter, it still provides a good base to prevent muddy areas from the rain and cold.
There is also not a lot to do in order to maintain the Bermuda in the winter time. Of course you don’t want to let leaves and fallen limbs pile up on the turf. But that is the case with any grass species. Other than that, there is no long list of tasks needed to make sure the Bermuda comes back strong in the spring and early summer. A little bit of winter fertilizer does help prepare the soil for the cold weather and the eventual warm up come April and May.
Bermuda Grass Maintenance in the Summer Can Keep You on Your Toes
There is mowing to do on a weekly basis once the grass is growing full speed. Aeration is not mandatory but is a good plan to help the turf thrive. Fertilization and weed control are also very important during the faster growing months. Just be careful not to spill the fertilizer as you treat the lawn. Piles of spilled fertilizer can be a Bermuda grass killer as it “burns” the turf.
When the Winter Comes…
There are some ways to make your Bermuda grass the best it can be as winter winds down each year. You want to prepare the turf to be healthy when the growing season starts. One way to make sure that happens is to take care of weeds while the grass is still dormant. That’s right. While the turf is still brown, you will start to notice weeds pop up here and there. You will know they are weeds if they are green in color. That will be in contrast to the dormant brown Bermuda turf. A simple way to get rid of these pesky weeds is to spray them with weed killer. You don’t even have to be careful about hurting your desirable Bermuda grass. At this dormant stage, it will not be affected in any way by the herbicide. As long as you do this process before the Bermuda starts greening up itself, you will be fine. The weeds will be killed and the grass unharmed. Never attempt that technique in the growing season for Bermuda!
Another thing to do towards the end of winter time is to dethatch the lawn. This will get the old dead grass out of the way for new growth. Out with the old, in with the new as they say. Think of it like trimming overgrown bushes. Once all the unhealthy limbs are out of the way, you surely have noticed how the new growth will sprout like crazy. Removing old growth gives space for stronger new growth.
My Secret Tip, But Be Careful!
I have seen people use another method for getting rid of thatch and weeds at the end of winter. They actually burn the lawn in a controlled manner. This technique could get out of hand, so use caution and check with your local fire department on rules and regulations. The burning gets rid of weeds and old Bermuda grass to make way for fresh spring grass. The result is not a pretty thing, as your yard has been basically set on fire! But if you do this at the right time, it will only be a few weeks until you have the best yard in your neighborhood. I have seen this method work to perfection and give the home owners an awesome lawn in a hurry. Their yard gets greener faster than any others that don’t use this burn method.
Bermuda turf can look as good as any type of grass. I hope the methods we discussed for winter time will help your lawn stand out from the rest. There is not much to do with the Bermuda in the cold months, but the few important tasks make a huge difference.
Happy Mowing!
