Horticultural Vinegar Control for Bermuda Grass

Vinegar and lemon can kill off Bermuda grass and other weeds.

Bermuda grass is an invasive weed that can be difficult to control without harmful pesticides. But, according to the New Mexico State University Extension, vinegar, when combined with lemon extract and water, can effectively kill Bermuda grass and other undesirable weeds. Unlike most chemical herbicides, vinegar is non-toxic to humans and appropriate for use in organic gardens. It kills on contact and won't negatively affect future crops planted on the treated site.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Lemon extract
• Sprayer
• Sod cutter

Instructions

1. Mix a solution of 12.5 percent white vinegar, 12.5 percent lemon extract and 75 percent water.

2. Pour your solution into a sprayer.

3. Thoroughly spray Bermuda grass with 3 to 5 quarts per acre of the solution in mid-summer in the early morning, when it actively grows. Take care not to spray other plants, as the solution may kill them along with your weeds.

4. Remove dying grass after a few days with a sod cutter, and water the target area thoroughly.

5. Spray remaining grass with an identical dose of the solution three to four weeks later. Wait another three weeks and spray once more to kill any grass that remains.

References

• New Mexico State University: Master Gardener Newsletter, August 2009
• University of Tennessee Extension: Common Herbicides for Ornamental Weed Control
• University of Kentucky: Bermuda Grass Control/Suppression