How to Remove Cool Season Grass From Bermuda Lawns

Removing an overplanted cool season lawn grass from Bermudagrass without killing the Bermudagrass is a bit like getting sand out of your cupcake frosting at the beach----not really doable without scraping the frosting off or losing at least some of the Bermudagrass. Heavy dethatching during the cool season grass's growing period for a year or two is an option to lift out some of the cool season grass. However, some of the Bermudagrass will come up with the dethatching and it may be thinned in its next growth cycle. Depending on your climate, removing thatch may stimulate the Bermuda's growth, thereby encouraging it to overtake more of the space and nutrients used by the cool season grass, minimizing its growth and appearance. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons of minimizing the cool season grass or eradicating both and starting over.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Power dethatching rake
• Flexible tine rake
• Trash bin or bags

1. Pull the dethatching rake through the cool climate lawn during its growth period, in a chipping motion, lifting up the dead thatch and grass roots to the surface of the lawn with each stroke. Complete the entire surface of the lawn in one direction.

2. Rotate your position on the lawn 90 degrees and make a second pass over the entire lawn acreage, pulling up the thatch and much of the cool climate grass with it in what is now a cross-hatch pattern relative to the first pass.

3. Run the flexible tine rake over the lawn to gather up the stripped thatch, grass and roots into piles that can be easily scooped up and discarded in the trash. This material will be full of seed, so do not place it in the compost pile if it will end up back on the lawn as mulch.

References

• American Lawns pages on Bermuda and Cool climate grasses
• Southern Nevada Water Authority Grass Removal Guide
• Purdue University Horticulture primer dethatching