How to Choke Out Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is a resilient warm-season grass that withstands direct sunlight and adequate amounts of traffic. Despite its durability, the need to remove this grass sometimes arises because a homeowner wants to plant another type of grass or harden the area with landscape stone. Although herbicides that kill Bermuda grass in no time are commercially available, adopt an environmentally safe method that kills unwanted lawn grass without leaching harmful chemicals from the soil. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Lawn mower
- Grass collection bag
- Hose
- Newspapers
- Organic mulch
- Heavyweight plastic
- Bricks
Instructions
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Newspapers
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Mow the Bermuda grass as short as possible. Use a manual or powered mower and collect clippings in the collection bag instead of allowing them to fall over the grass.
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2
Water the Bermuda grass lightly with a hose or sprinkler system so the newspapers stick to the surface and do not shift easily.
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3
Spread newspapers over the entire grass surface you want to choke. Start from one corner and form layers comprised of 10 sheets of newspaper before spreading them. Overlap the edges of the newspapers by 3 inches from every side to prohibit access to sunlight, water and air for the grass below. Do this until you reach the other corner. Lightly mist the newspapers again so they remain in place.
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4
Spread a 2 inch thick layer of organic mulch over the newspapers such as grass clippings or leaves that weigh down and press the newspapers down even further, locking them in place.
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Inspect the area after three weeks to a month. The newspapers choke out Bermuda grass due to no access to sunlight, water and air.
Plastic
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Mow the Bermuda grass as short as possible in midsummer. The plastic sheet chokes out unwanted grass faster and more effectively when the sun is at its strongest.
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Spread a black heavyweight plastic sheet over the Bermuda grass. Allow it to extend the edges of the area by several inches.
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Place bricks or stones over the edges of the plastic sheet to hold it in place. The sheet retains heat and prevents sunlight, air and water from entering, thus choking the Bermuda grass along with its roots.
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Tips & Warnings
Although both methods take slightly longer, they are environmentally safe and recommended if you have children or pets.
Make sure the newspaper you use is non-glossy.
Mulching is essential as it presses the newspapers down and compresses the Bermuda grass even closer to the soil.
Inspect the plastic sheet prior to spreading to make sure it does not have any holes. Use a heavy, thick plastic so it compresses Bermuda grass and does not allow air, water or sunlight to penetrate.
Rake out the dead Bermuda grass with a steel rake, collect it in a garbage bag or wheelbarrow and dispose.
References
- Photo Credit newspapers image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
