Bermudagrass

Bermuda is the most important and widely adapted warm season grass. Extremely heat tolerant but very intolerant of shade, bermudagrass is the dominant sunny lawn grass in the south and hot summer climates of the far west.

Bermudagrass is an aggressive, warm season turfgrass species that spreads rapidly by above-ground (stolons) and below ground (rhizomes) lateral shoots. It has excellent drought tolerance in the summer. It is so durable and aggressive that the US military used it to stabilize airfields in North Africa in WWII and in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam conflict

Once established, bermudagrass is hard to kill. It is one of the few warm season grasses that can be taken north. Bermuda is recommended for use in parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas and Oklahoma, as well as the Central Valley of California.

Seed vs. sprigs:

Historically, bermudagrass varieties haves been improved by two different methods. The new seeded varieties of bermudagrass are improvements in common Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) achieved by plant breeders using conventional plant selection techniques. Vegetatively planted bermudagrasses are produced from sterile hybrids which initially were crosses between common Bermuda and African bermudagrass (Cynodontransvaalensis). Since sterile hybrids do not produce seed, these lawns must be established using sprigs, stolons, or sod, at considerable time and expense

The new variety, Princess bermudagrass, is the exception to the seed vs. sprigs rule. Princess is a seed producing hybrid variety. It is legally termed a hybrid due to the arrangement and selection of seed producing parent plants in the seed production fields. Princess is a breakthrough in seeded varieties, producing a finer, darker green turf than many seeded Cynodon dactylon types.

Establishment:

Seeded Bermudagrass lawns should be planted at a rate of 2 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. at a depth not greater than ½ inch. Water 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks. Under ideal conditions germination will begin in 7-10 days, but allow two to three weeks for complete germination. After the new turf is established, water less frequently but more deeply. Full coverage may be obtained in four to six weeks under optimum conditions.

Overseeding dormant bermudagrass: Bermudagrass, like other warm season turfgrasses, looses its green color when it goes dormant in the winter. The best way to achieve a year-round lush green lawn is to overseed dormant bermudagrass with a high quality perennial ryegrass blend such as SS9000, our recommended overseeding blend (see Price List for more details).

Thirty days before the first frost, when daytime highs are near 70 degrees and nighttime lows are usually above 50, is generally a good time to overseed. This generally ranges from mid-August to late September, depending on latitude and elevation. Apply 15 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. of SS9000, or another perennial ryegrass blend, and water lightly 2-3 times a day until the seed germinates.

Ryegrass normally dies out in late spring, but if cool weather prevails it can become persistent. Suspend fertilizing in March and lower your height of cut to discourage the perennial ryegrass and encourage the underlying bermudagrass to rejuvenate.

Fertilizer:

Bermudagrass requires more fertilizer than the other warm season grasses. Use 6-12 lbs. of Nitrogen, 6 lbs. of phosphate, and 9 lbs of potash per 1,000 sq. feet per year. Nitrogen should be applied monthly, with no single application exceeding 2 lbs of actual Nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft.