How to Treat Bermudagrass in Texas That Still Has Dead Rye
Texas heat in the early spring causes cool weather grasses such as rye grass to die. Temperatures of over 90 degrees Fahrenheit cause rye grass to go dormant until the fall months. According to the University of Texas, lack of soil preparation for cool-season grasses can cause unsightly brown spots. Dead rye grass not only ruins the appearance of the yard, but also gets in the way of the Bermuda grass spreading. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Examine the yard and find all the areas where rye grass has left brown patches. Spread chalk around the patches to help you easily find the grass during the removal process. However, you may have an entire yard of dead grass, which will require you to dig up the entire lawn.
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Dig up the dead rye grass and place the grass in a wheel barrow. If the grass has not been subjected to herbicide, place it in your compost.
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Wait for your Bermuda grass to grow before fertilizing. Once your Bermuda grass has started to green up, apply 1 pound of fertilizer for every 1,000 feet. Use a slow-release fertilizer and repeat application according to the directions, which generally is within six to eight weeks.
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Hand pull all weeds out of your Bermuda grass to decrease competition. Weeds compete with the turf for the soil's nutrients. By removing the weeds, Bermuda grass is able to establish more quickly.
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Give your Bermuda grass 1 inch of water every week. Avoid over watering your grass by placing a rain barrel in the yard. If the barrel indicates that the grass has received an inch of water, refrain from watering. Over watering is as damaging as lack of water. Depending on your location in Texas, your average rainfall can be less than 8 inches to more than 48 inches. Check the Texas rainfall map to find out how much rain you receive in your area.
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Tips & Warnings
Reseed rye in the early fall when the Bermuda grass is dying off for a year-round yard in Texas.
Plant Bermuda grass in areas of high erosion. According to the Samuel Roberts Nobles Foundation, Bermuda grass is used extensively in Texas to combat against erosion.
Avoid taking off more than one third of the grass blade when mowing bermuda grass, because it can cause root damage.
