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There's grass in my weed!

16 years ago

I just became a homeowner in August with stressed Bermuda grass. It was obviously neglected this past spring/summer. My main concern at this point is this: There is obviously some other type of grass growing in with the Bermuda. I don't know if the previous owner overseeded with something to keep the lawn green throughout the winter or if this grass is just magically starting to appear now that the Bermuda is stressed and will soon be going dormant. I'm new to Bermuda lawns but everything I've read thus far indicates Bermuda will over take any other grass. I personally don't like other grass mingling with the Bermuda. Should I worry about this? Will the Bermuda take over next Spring? Additionally, if anyone knows of some good resources out there for restoring Bermuda in Zone 5 that would be great! Thanks all!

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Comments (3)

texas_weed
16 years ago
Yes in St. Louis MO you have something to worry about trying to grow Bermuda grass. You are quite a bit north of where Bermuda can thrive, and probably not the best choice for your area. Arkansas/MO state line is about as far north as one should try to push Bermuda. On the flip side unless you have a really cold winter, you are stuck with Bermuda. It will look fine during the hotter summer months, but summers are fairly short in St. Louis Misery, so you can only expect 3 or 4 months of green grass using Bermuda with only 2 of those months being vigorous growth.

It is too late now to do much with the Bermuda now, I suspect it has gone dormant or will very soon. You can put out a pre-emergent now to prevent any more cool season grasses from germinating, but I suspect it is too late for that now from your description. When the cooler wetter weather arrived in your area was prime conditions for the other grasses to germinate. If you drive around and take notice you should notice your neighbors cool season lawns look great right now.

Anyway go ahead and get some pre-emergence to halt winter annuals, and repeat around Xmas, then again in March. As soon as you see the Bermuda to start greening up next spring start your monthly fertilizer applications. Then when the soil warms up to 70 degrees over seed with a common Bermuda that has very good cold tolerance like Yukon.

Or another option is next summer starting in July, nuke the Bermuda with several applications of Round Up through Labor Day, cut the dead sod out, and replant with a cool season grass like Fescue, KBG or a blend.
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
That has to be a first. Never thought t-dub would tell someone they are out of range.
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tabasco
Original Author
16 years ago
I enjoy St. Louis, Misery. Although I am a State worker and am less than pleased with the salary raises. But I digress-that's for another forum. Bermuda wouldn't have been my first choice but I'm stuck with it. It kinda was a package deal with the house. At any rate, aside from the stressed Bermuda with other grass, I have those *&^% wild onions? popping up everywhere now. What do I have to do get my soil up to par so these things won't grow?

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