How to Take Care of a Bermuda Lawn

Grow a great Bermuda lawn

Bermuda grass is a drought-tolerant, thick-bladed grass that rebounds quickly from heavy foot traffic. This makes it a common variety on golf courses, public spaces and other athletic fields. Bermuda grass also grows at a much faster rate than other grasses, which means that it requires more maintenance, especially during the summer months. However, with regular care, bermuda grass is a high-performance variety that creates lush, green lawns.

Things You'll Need

• Pre-emergent herbicide
• Post-emergent herbicide
• Lawn mower
• High-nitrogen granular fertilizer
• Dethatching rake

Instructions

1. Spread a broad-leaf, granular pre-emergent herbicide over the surface of bermuda grass in late February using the amount of product specified on the packaging. Monitor the lawn throughout the summer, and apply a post-emergent herbicide in May if weeds develop.

2. Water the bermuda grass once per week with 4 to 6 inches of water starting in the mid-summer, if no rainfall occurs during the period. Avoid overwatering since this promotes fungal growth and disease in the species. A sign that the grass requires water is visible footprints in it after walking across it.

3. Wait until the grass turns green in the spring to begin a regular mowing schedule. Set the mowing depth on a lawn mower to between 1/2 and 2 1/2 inches. Mow the bermuda grass once per week from April through October.

4. Wait until April to apply a 1/2 to 1 lb. of granular, high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 20-5-5, for every 1,000 square feet of bermuda grass. Repeat the fertilizer application once per month through September.

5. Remove thatch from the bermuda grass every two to three years in the early spring. Rake the entire lawn surface with a dethatching rake, which pulls up dead grass and vegetation. Collect the material, and compost it or place it into the trash.

Tips & Warnings

• If your bermuda grass was sodded in the current year, continue watering it throughout the first winter to increase the odds of survival.

References

• University of Arkansas; Bermudagrass; Aaron Patton, et. al.
• Seedland: Maintenance Practices for Bermuda Grass