Is Your Bermuda Grass Healthy?

Bermuda grass is known for its thick lush lawn that is a pleasure to walk on. However if your grass gets stressed out it might start lacking in the coveted curb appeal we all work so hard to achieve. So lets discuss a couple different areas where your bermuda grass might be struggling to remain healthy.

Crunchy Bermuda

Got some patches or really dry bermuda grass that hurt to walk on. Maybe you can see the thatch / soil between the burned out shoots of bermuda. Chances are if you’ve got some really dry spots in your yard it’s not getting enough water. One article you might find particularly helpful is How Much Water Does My Grass Need.

Weedy Bermuda

Another tell tail sign your grass might not be healthy are weeds. If you’ve not implemented a strict weed control regimen into your lawn care routine, maybe it’s time to start. Weeds thrive in soil that is not conditioned to well. If your soil is healthy your grass will be healthy and the weeds will die off. If you’re looking for an organic solution to weed control you might consider broadcast spreading some sugar on your lawn. Otherwise there are several commercial weed control products to help you rid your lawn of pesky weeds.

Seed Head Bermuda

Bermuda grass that is stressed out will start throwing seed heads only a couple of days after mowing. These cause your grass to appear like it needs mowing again but is actually a sign your grass is in distress. What I’ve found is that most lawns are in pretty good shape and only have a couple of patches where seed heads are prevalent. If your lawn is covered in seed heads you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you to get your grass back in shape.

Buffalo Grass

Buffalo grass is the true American grass and as the name implies it is native to the great plains where this grass provided feed for the immense herds of buffalo that once occupied this region of our country. It is also the turf that provided the building material for the sod homes constructed by the first settlers of the Great Plains.

Buffalo grass grows extremely well in the Great Plains of the United States from central Texas to Northern Montana. It is well adapted to survive prolonged drought and extreme temperatures. It is also well suited to areas that receive light to moderate use. One should be aware that this grass will experience deterioration if subjected to heavy use. The famous “dust bowl” of the 1930’s was created because of over grazing in the prairie region and the concomitant loss of ground cover.

This grass is the ideal choice for one who desire a native species that has developed genetic qualities that will insure vigorous growth and survival in a harsh environment. Buffalo grass is a fine leaved perennial that possesses a pleasing blue-green color. It requires minimal maintenance in the form of water or fertilizer. In fact, over watering may encourage other grasses or weeds to infiltrate into established buffalo grass turf. Buffalo grass does not do well in shady areas as one could expect of a grass that is native to the Great Plains.

Buffalo grass can be established through the use of seed, sod, sprigs or plugs. As with many other grasses, like bermuda grass and St Augustine grass, it spreads through the use of above ground runners called stolons. It does not possess any underground capability to spread. This inability to spread through underground runners called rhizomes means that buffalo grass will not threaten adjacent garden or flower beds or even more desirable grasses that may be contiguous to the buffalo grass.

Buffalo grass is generally low growing and reaches a maximum height of about 8-10 inches. It can be left to grow naturally in fields or mowed to a height of about two inches for lawns. Golf courses may mow to a height of about one inch for fairways and allowed to grow higher in areas designated as “rough”.

Low maintenance is the most significant advantage of buffalo grass. Minimal water, minimal fertilizer and minimal mowing is what might attract an individual to grow this grass in their fields or yards.

Bahia Grass

Bahia grass is a warm season course grass that grows well along the southern coastline, in Florida and southern California. This grass is normally grown from seed or sod and possesses excellent tolerance to drought, insect and disease infestations. It is normally light green in color, but will turn several shades darker when fertilizer is applied. It grows vigorously and may require more frequent mowing than other warm season grasses during the summer months. It grows very well on sandy or infertile soils, but will not perform well if the soil is too acidic.

It’s advantage as a warm season grass is in its’ ability to withstand drought conditions and the fact that it is not prone to die-back caused by insects or disease. Establishing a lawn or pasture is a bit slower than most and will take several months to produce an excellent ground cover, but once established it is durable and will withstand moderate traffic. Bahia grass is a bit unusual in that it’s root system may extend seven to nine feet into the ground. This characteristic is what provides it with it’s exceptional drought resistance. Another advantage of Bahia grass is that it grows as well in the shade as it does in full sun.

A properly maintained Bahia lawn will generally crowd out weeds which is the preferred method of weed control as Bahia grass does not respond well to herbicides often used to control unwanted intrusions. The fact is that weed control herbicides may in fact kill or retard healthy Bahia grass growth so one should be judicious in herbicide applications. If a Bahia turf begins to become a little yellow it is a sign that an iron nutrient needs to be added to the soil. This generally will occur during the spring or fall and an application of this element will return the grass to a pleasing light green color.

As with other grasses there are several varieties of Bahia grass that have been developed to suit local climatic conditions. The Argentine variety is well suited for growth in the deep south while the Pensacola variety is generally suited to regions further north which may be susceptible to frost or cool spells.

The Bahia grasses are great choices for areas where warmer season grasses thrive and will provide a lush covering of turf.

St Augustine Grass

St Augustine grass grows well in a very confined area of the United States extending from western Texas along the very southern tier of states adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico and covering all of Florida. It can also be successfully grown along the coastal areas from Florida to South Carolina and in southern California. While this grass has a somewhat limited growing area, it is a great choice for residents that may live in those regions.

St. Augustine grass is a warm weather turf that thrives in bright sun, high humidity and moist soil environments. It does not tolerate shade particularly well and will not generally do well in drought conditions. For that reason St. Augustine grass should not be considered as a viable turf option if the growing area is subjected even to occasional drought conditions or periods of very cold weather. This wide bladed, deep blue-green and very course grass is normally grown from sprigs, plugs or sod with sod being the more often chosen method for establishing a lawn. There has been great difficulty developing a seed that can be depended upon to produce successful growth, hence seeding is currently not widely available. It spreads through above ground stolons and for that reason it is easy to control the spread to prevent intrusions into flower or garden beds.

There are several varieties of St. Augustine grass and there are on-going efforts to develop additional varieties that will extend the growing area. One such variety referred to as Palmetto St. Augustine has been developed over the last decade. This grass has increased drought tolerance as well as the ability to maintain good growth in shady areas. It also tolerates cold better than most varieties although after several days of frost conditions it will become dormant and begin to brown.

In general the St. Augustine grasses require a bit more maintenance than many others and may become susceptible to disease or insect infestations if not tended regularly. It is important to note that St. Augustine grasses produce a significant amount of thatch which contributes to the aforementioned conditions. Annual de-thatching will insure a healthy turf growth. St Augustine grasses provide a good choice for those living in the growing area where it will thrive, however it is presently not a good choice for any that live outside that well-defined region.

Zoysia Grass

Zoysia grass can be the epitome of a love-hate relationship. This grass is extremely well suited to warmer climates but can be grown in many northern areas. If one were to draw a straight line on a map across the country, roughly from Hartford, Connecticut to Los Angeles, Zoysia would do well south of that imaginary boundary. To the north of that line, it is not particularly well suited as it will remain a dormant brown throughout much of the year. The love part of the relationship is that this is a grass that forms a lush turf which will crowd out weeds and a lawn of Zoysia grass is virtually guaranteed to be naturally weed-free. On the other hand, in the cool months it will turn brown and become dormant. Some people don’t care for Zoysia because of that characteristic, while others are quite willing to accept that fact because of the many positives associated with this grass.

Zoysia grass has many of the characteristics of the Bermuda grasses in that it spreads through the formation of above ground shoots called stolons and below ground shoots called rhizomes. This ability to spread insures a lush lawn that will stand up to moderate traffic from children or pets, but may not stand the rough treatment associated with football, for instance. Zoysia grasses are often used on the fairways of golf courses. Zoysia grasses, because of its’ inclination to spread (like grass could think!) will intrude upon flower or garden beds and into adjoining lawns if not controlled. On the other hand it is a slow growing grass that needs much less mowing than many others and is drought tolerant. It also grows well in areas that are subjected to the salt spray along coastal regions.

Zoysia grasses can be planted by using plugs in lawns that have established growth. It will soon crowd out the other grasses as well as weeds or it can be planted on a prepared surface using seed or sod. A seeded lawn will become lush in about 4-6 months while a planting in an an area of established growth using plugs may take up to two years. Sodded lawns obviously do not have the same difficulties, but are a bit more expensive. Zoysia grows well in virtually every type of soil.

In short, if one does not mind the dormant brown of this grass during cool months they will be rewarded by a uniform lawn that is naturally weed-free.

Rye Grass

Rye Grass comes in to major types – annual and perennial. Annual grass survives for only one growing season whereas the perennial Rye will thrive for years. These grasses were introduced to the United States from Europe where they have been grown for centuries. Rye grass, no matter if it is annual or perennial is a cool season grass that will do well anywhere outside the southern tier of the United States.

Rye grasses are often mixed with other types of grasses although they provide wonderful ground cover and a lush lawn by themselves particularly in cooler climates. In the south Rye grass can be used to green up a lawn comprised of grasses more suitable for their warmer climate. Rye grass germinates quickly and seeding is relatively simple as no soil preparation is necessary as long as the seed has contact with the soil and is spread uniformly throughout the area to be seeded. Seed spread just prior to expected rain will deliver results quickly and one can expect to see little “grasslings” sprouting after just a few days.

Annual Rye grass is most often used in areas that have a hot summer when there is a desire to have a quick “greening effect”. This annual Rye grass will provide a carpet of green for a few months before the warmer season grasses develop and will die off as summer approaches. An added benefit is that it will add natural nutrients to the soil as it dies out for the more heat tolerant grasses.

Perennial Rye grass is one of the smarter choices for growing in a cool climate. It germinates quickly from seed – sod is available – presents a bright green color, a fine texture and grows densely. Another added advantage of perennial rye is that it is highly disease and insect resistant. It withstands hard use and even if a localized repair is necessary one can be assured that the area will cover quickly with minimal effort – just spread some seed, make sure it is in contact with the soil, water and wait a few days. There are over 100 varieties of Rye grass that can be selected based on the specific needs of the grower and particular local climatic conditions.

The Rye grasses, either annual or perennial have a long history of success in cooler climates. The primary enemy of Rye grass is heat. It will not perform particularly well in shaded areas, so if it is combined with other grasses the grower will be well rewarded with a lush lawn covering throughout the year.

Fescue Grass

Fescue grass is identified in two major categories as fine-leaved or broad-leaved. The broad leaved Fescue, sometimes referred to as a tall fescue is a bit more heat and drought tolerant than the needle leaved or fine leaved variety. Read more

Bermuda Grass Care

Bermuda grass is a wonderful selection for anyone who lives in a southern climate and desires a turf grass that can withstand the harsh sun and survive with minimal amounts of water. Read more