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Started By
Message
Teach me about Bermuda Please
Posted on 6/17/21 at 11:12 am
Posted on 6/17/21 at 11:12 am
This isn't the first lawn post I've had, but maybe an update on my current situation and thinking. 1/2 acre lot. Roughly 9-10k square feet of backyard grass
- We're mostly done with a pool install
- Our back yard had low spots already. Not ponding, but not great. It slopes to the rear fence, behind which is a ditch.
- Full sun
- Over the past 5 years our centipede has struggled in the more damp areas. Doveweed decimated huge areas.
- Lots of other weeds including nutsedge.
- Common bermuda is wanting to take over any available bare ground.
My current plan is to have some topsoil brought in and regrade once the pool is done/rubble pile is gone.
- Is there any reason not to start fresh in the backyard with something like Princess 77?
- Can my Gravely mower cut at an acceptable height for bermuda?
- Will princess 77 seed take easily if given ample water/sun?
- Is weed control difficult in Bermuda? (can I still use products like Weed Free Zone in spring?)
- How is it under foot with rough playing boys? (soft or a thin layer over hard soil?)
- We're mostly done with a pool install
- Our back yard had low spots already. Not ponding, but not great. It slopes to the rear fence, behind which is a ditch.
- Full sun
- Over the past 5 years our centipede has struggled in the more damp areas. Doveweed decimated huge areas.
- Lots of other weeds including nutsedge.
- Common bermuda is wanting to take over any available bare ground.
My current plan is to have some topsoil brought in and regrade once the pool is done/rubble pile is gone.
- Is there any reason not to start fresh in the backyard with something like Princess 77?
- Can my Gravely mower cut at an acceptable height for bermuda?
- Will princess 77 seed take easily if given ample water/sun?
- Is weed control difficult in Bermuda? (can I still use products like Weed Free Zone in spring?)
- How is it under foot with rough playing boys? (soft or a thin layer over hard soil?)
9
Posted on 6/17/21 at 11:37 am to RaginCajunz
I can only answer two with any confidence.
Some of the easiest of all the grass types in my experience. It chokes out weeds because it is so aggressive and there are common, cheap pre and post emergents that work great on it.
It can be great if you cut it the right length and you've got good soil. Think golf course (but obviously longer).
But in harder soil that isn't great for Bermuda, it will just have a light covering and not be as thick. I think this is true for most grass types.
Bermuda is a pest sometimes, but if you've got full sun and not much landscaping for it to invade, it's awesome. It is crazy resilient.
quote:
- Is weed control difficult in Bermuda?
Some of the easiest of all the grass types in my experience. It chokes out weeds because it is so aggressive and there are common, cheap pre and post emergents that work great on it.
quote:
- How is it under foot with rough playing boys?
It can be great if you cut it the right length and you've got good soil. Think golf course (but obviously longer).
But in harder soil that isn't great for Bermuda, it will just have a light covering and not be as thick. I think this is true for most grass types.
Bermuda is a pest sometimes, but if you've got full sun and not much landscaping for it to invade, it's awesome. It is crazy resilient.
This post was edited on 6/17/21 at 11:39 am
Posted on 6/17/21 at 11:37 am to RaginCajunz
#1 thing to do is bring in dirt and regrade your yard. Once it drains properly and you have no pooling, the type of lawn you choose will not matter. No turfgrass likes wet feet.
Posted on 6/17/21 at 11:50 am to RaginCajunz
It is excellent under foot, it's why most outdoor stadiums use it, it's a true turf grass that stands up great to traffic.
Weed control is much easier with Bermuda because so many available products exist that kill everything but bermuda, but if you have cent or SA, it can be more problematic.
Bermuda loves full sun. It's shadier areas where bermuda does not do well.
That's all I got.
Weed control is much easier with Bermuda because so many available products exist that kill everything but bermuda, but if you have cent or SA, it can be more problematic.
Bermuda loves full sun. It's shadier areas where bermuda does not do well.
That's all I got.
Posted on 6/17/21 at 12:02 pm to RaginCajunz
quote:
1/2 acre lot. Roughly 9-10k square feet of backyard grass
Same exact size as me.
quote:
Our back yard had low spots already. Not ponding, but not great.
I've got 2 or 3 low spots that will hold a little water for a day or 2 longer than the rest. Nothing that is even visible though.
quote:
Full sun
Check.
quote:
Over the past 5 years our centipede has struggled in the more damp areas.
Had centipede at my previous house. Never again. It is for some people, but not for me.
quote:
Is there any reason not to start fresh in the backyard with something like Princess 77?
This is what I did when I moved into my current house. I had dirt brought in and then seeded with P77. One thing I messed up on was that I had all fill dirt brought in so it took a while for my grass to establish.
quote:
Can my Gravely mower cut at an acceptable height for bermuda?
Yes, I have a 42" john deere. As long as you can get close to the 1.5-1" mark you should be fine.
quote:
Will princess 77 seed take easily if given ample water/sun?
If you get topsoil you should be ok but get a soil test done before seeding.
quote:
Is weed control difficult in Bermuda?
Extremely simple. Celsius will be your best friend. Knocks out almost everything except bermuda. For more, read up on the Bermuda Bible.
quote:
How is it under foot with rough playing boys?
It is extremely soft on feet and recovers quick from any damage done by them or dogs. I went with P77 because I wanted a soft turf that my 2 boys could run around on and that would be tough and I don't regret my choice at all. I just did my backyard but it has started to creep under the fence into the front yard (which I am fine with) and you can tell a big difference between the P77 and the common bermuda. It looks much thicker and better. I will probably use a proplugger in the next few weeks and start plugging my front yard.
If I remember right, Arden 15 is an improvement on P77. I think it has better cold tolerance, grows in faster, and requires less water.
In all, seeding can be frustrating if you take short cuts but can save you a lot of money too. You might entertain the thought of contacting someone about hydroseeding to make it easier. They may not have P77/Arden but a lot of them do have other hybrid bermudas. If you do want that specific variety though, don't be discouraged from seeding. It may take a little longer but when you finally get coverage it is a great feeling.
This post was edited on 6/17/21 at 12:09 pm
Posted on 6/17/21 at 1:29 pm to RaginCajunz
Apply MSMA and Simplot 3 way for post emergent. It will knock out 95 percent of weeds. Apply Prodiamine and Isoxoben for pre emergent. Fertilize once a month and enjoy
This post was edited on 6/17/21 at 1:33 pm
Posted on 6/17/21 at 3:43 pm to BallsEleven
quote:
If I remember right, Arden 15 is an improvement on P77. I think it has better cold tolerance, grows in faster, and requires less water.
Yeah, it looks like Arden 15 is the replacement. Regarding water and fertilizer needs. Is it more necessary than dealing with Centipede or SA? Will a two week dry spell wreck the yard?
I appreciate all the info from everyone. It sure seems like it's a good way to go for my yard and wallet.
Posted on 6/17/21 at 3:58 pm to RaginCajunz
quote:
Regarding water and fertilizer needs.
I haven't had to water my lawn yet in the 2 years I've had it, only while trying to get the seeds to germinate. I don't think I've had it brown on me at all. In any case it does start to brown because of drought, once it gets water again it will pop right back up.
Fertilizing is a must though. It is best to do a soil sample in the spring and fertilize as needed to get it in balance. After that it depends on how much growth you need. More growth = more nitrogen. Pushing with nitrogen and cutting often will make it spread quick. You will have to cut multiple times a week during the summer. When you don't need as much growth you can cut back on the nitrogen to try and keep the growth under control.
This is what my back yard looks like right now. The discolored area in the background is where the trampoline was and grass died from lack of sunlight. I move it every once in a while to let it grow back. The spots towards the front are spots where my dog peed and burned the grass. He kills everything but the bermuda bounces back within a week or 2. All I do is apply celsius 2-3 times a year, fertilize once a month, and cut twice a week around 1.25". The way ronk has been talking though I might start reel cutting the back at night to try and get it reel low.
This post was edited on 6/17/21 at 4:04 pm
Posted on 6/17/21 at 8:03 pm to RaginCajunz
It's great for non compacted yards in full sun. But it grows like a weed and is impossible to keep out of flower beds.
Posted on 6/17/21 at 8:24 pm to Stellytiger
quote:
Apply MSMA
This is what golf courses use. It kills everything.
Posted on 6/17/21 at 10:12 pm to CatfishJohn
The previous owner of my home had a big playground set and other things in the yard that has left bare spots in my bermuda yard.
One bare spot is fairly sandy and another is clay.
What’s the best thing to spread on the ground to help out the bermuda runners? Should I jut put down a thin layer of top soil? Compost? Something else?
One bare spot is fairly sandy and another is clay.
What’s the best thing to spread on the ground to help out the bermuda runners? Should I jut put down a thin layer of top soil? Compost? Something else?
Posted on 6/17/21 at 10:35 pm to RaginCajunz
You need a 3 day weekend for me to tell you about Bermuda.
A couple of touch points: I don’t like starting a lawn from seed, only filling in. However Arden15 is the way to go. There is a poster that grew his yard from seed and it’s gorgeous so it can be done.
Don’t get msma unless you have dallisgrass. Herbicides you’ll need are msm, Celsius and Sedgehammer. Pre em you’ll need are specticle and barricade.
Get a reel mower. It will be awesome and frustrating at the same time. You won’t understand until you use it. Regardless of how thick your yard is cut it 3 times in a week with a reel mower and it will be ridiculously thick.
A couple of touch points: I don’t like starting a lawn from seed, only filling in. However Arden15 is the way to go. There is a poster that grew his yard from seed and it’s gorgeous so it can be done.
Don’t get msma unless you have dallisgrass. Herbicides you’ll need are msm, Celsius and Sedgehammer. Pre em you’ll need are specticle and barricade.
Get a reel mower. It will be awesome and frustrating at the same time. You won’t understand until you use it. Regardless of how thick your yard is cut it 3 times in a week with a reel mower and it will be ridiculously thick.
This post was edited on 6/17/21 at 11:37 pm
Posted on 6/18/21 at 7:39 am to ronk
quote:
I don’t like starting a lawn from seed, only filling in.
Is that due to difficulty establishing, or just the water. needed to get it going?
quote:
3 times in a week with a reel mower
This is the main thing that might keep me away from bermuda. It's already a chore keeping up with regular summer mowings of our current yard. Maybe once I retire or have less kid duties I could maintain a 3x a week cut for fun.
Posted on 6/18/21 at 8:00 am to BallsEleven
Fertilize 1/month with what?
Posted on 6/18/21 at 9:06 am to turkish
quote:
Fertilize 1/month with what?
A high nitrogen fertilizer.
I usually go with something like Scotts Turfbuilder Southern Lawn food. No weed and feed. 32-0-10 That first number is your percentage of nitrogen. If you are trying to fill in your lawn, the rule of thumb is 1-1.5 lbs/1000 sqft of nitrogen. To maintain is more like .5-1.
To figure out how much you need to put down just take your total weight in the bag multiplied by the nitrogen percentage. So a 42lb bag of turfbuilder will have about 13.5 lbs of nitrogen. If I wanted to fertilize just my 8,000sqft front yard that needs a lot of filling in, I'd go with almost the full bag since I would need 12lbs of nitrogen on the high end.
You can also use straight urea. 46-0-0 Many times it is fast acting so you will need to fertilize again in 3 weeks or so. A lot of people like to use Milogranite because it makes the grass look good (and it absolutely does). But it is very expensive for the amount of nitrogen you get (5-4-0) and I don't use it for regular feedings. I'll use it once a year or so if I am throwing a party and want to give the grass a boost to show off a bit.
Sounds complicated at first but is pretty simple when you do it a few times.
Posted on 6/18/21 at 9:15 am to RaginCajunz
quote:
This is the main thing that might keep me away from bermuda. It's already a chore keeping up with regular summer mowings of our current yard. Maybe once I retire or have less kid duties I could maintain a 3x a week cut for fun.
Don’t let this scare you off. While Bermuda is capable of being mowed very low with a reel mower, it is not necessary. You can maintain it around 1.5” or even 2” and it’s fine. You may have to cut every 4-5 days in the peak growing season, but it’s not the 3x a week with a reel mower like he’s talking about. Bermuda likes to be cut low and often as it encourages lateral growth, but you don’t have to labor yourself to have a nice lawn.
However, it is absolutely a lot more work than centipede, if that is the comparison. Fertilizer, herbicides, and mowing are all necessary with Bermuda.
Posted on 6/18/21 at 9:44 am to LSUtigerME
It isn't necessary but it is recommended. You don't have to cut it 3 times a week every week but the get from a higher mow to a lower mow you will have to mow it more frequently until you get it to the height you want.
Posted on 6/18/21 at 1:02 pm to ronk
Ronk - What type of reel mower do you have? I wish I could find a pull behind that will drop to .75 or 1". tough reel mowing 1 acre, pushing only 24"
Posted on 6/18/21 at 1:16 pm to LSUtigerME
quote:
You can maintain it around 1.5” or even 2” and it’s fine.
I've been cutting my new yard at 1.5" every Thursday for a month now. The grass doesn't even seem to grow much higher than that. So it's easy to lose track of where I already cut. Is this an issue? 1.5" is the lowest setting my mower will go to and it seems like all I'm cutting is weeds that are taller than 1.5" for the most part. Should I go longer than 1 week? I know ronk mentioned 3 times per week and get a better mower but that's not an option for me right now.
Do I need to water more?
This post was edited on 6/18/21 at 1:17 pm
Posted on 6/18/21 at 1:28 pm to Lazy But Talented
quote:
Do I need to water more?
When is the last time you fertilized or had a good shower on it?
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