“Hello, I have fescue grass, but I also have Bermuda weeds growing within. Last year I had the area dug up, Round-Up sprayed, new sod put in. Now the Bermuda weed is back. How do I get rid of it? Some suggested I put St. Augustine grass plugs, and it will rid the weeds, but I have heard it turns brown in the winter. Any suggestions would be appreciated.” Question from Cliff Pearce of Riverside, California
Answer: When planted side-by-side, Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon, Zones 7-10) will always win over fescue (Festuca spp., Zones 3-9). Fescues are finer, less aggressive grasses relative to Bermudagrass, which is a tough, broad-bladed grass that can quickly grow out of control without maintenance. Even worse, Bermudagrass roots can grow to a depth of 6 feet or more, so it is hard to kill. Clearly, the Round-Up (glyphosate) did not kill it to the root.
From what I have gathered, there are three good ways to kill this grass: smother it, solarize it, or use a strong selective herbicide. It would be easy to solarize in the hot California sun. To do this, mow the area low and then simply cover it with an impermeable layer of thick clear plastic. Use landscape pins to hold it down. Keep it in place for four weeks or more, until the grass below has died. In theory, this method will kill it to the root. (Click here for more details.)
If you would prefer using a selective herbicide, consult with a local lawn specialist. Mighty potent herbicides are needed to kill Bermudagrass, and you don’t want to handle them yourself.
Your Lawncare Options
Really kill the Bermudagrass, and replant once more with fescue. If you took this route, I recommend patching the area with a fresh piece of healthy fescue sod for the best results. Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss is a great amendment to apply for better grass seed or sod establishment.
Replant with tougher lawn grass. Consider a lawn of the drought-tolerant ‘UC Verde’® Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides), a University of California introduction specially bred for many southern California climates. I believe that in Southern California, it will remain green with good care. It is low-growing, native, Waterwise, and attractive. St. Augustine grass is also tough, but it is susceptible to fungal diseases and does turn brown in winter.
Accept that keeping a monoculture lawn is a headache and tolerate the Bermudagrass. If you are a diehard lawn person, then ignore me here, but my lawn is full of clover, mixed grasses, and even violets, and I’m fine with my imperfect lawn, as long as it is well-cut and tidy. The bees also like it better.
According to the label, to kill Bermuda grass in a Fescue lawn, use . 5 ounces of Ornamec plus 2 teaspoons of a non-ionic surfactant to one gallon of water to treat 1000 square feet of lawn space.
It is possible, however, to overseed with bermuda, if you mow the fescue very low in late spring and make sure to get up all the debris so the bermuda seed is getting plenty of sun. You'll have to keep the fescue mowed short (1 inch) to prevent overshading until the baby bermuda becomes dominant.
I prefer the square tined forks, and find them much more effective for actual digging. This is the most efficient tool for turning and loosening your soil. It is also the ONLY effective tool for jobs like digging up Bermuda grass and other like-minded weeds.
Combine a solution of vinegar and dish soap—1 gallon of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of dish soap—specifically to the Bermuda grass stolons. The vinegar will dry up and kill the plants. Keep in mind that while this is an organic Bermuda grass killer, it kills anything else it touches as well.
Epsom salt is an organic compound that is full of beneficial minerals for lawns. Iron in Epsom salt, for example, helps grasses to grow healthy and strong. Meanwhile, the magnesium in Epsom salt balances the PH level in your grasses so that it doesn't become too acidic.
Though most of Bermuda's roots stay within 6 inches of the surface, they can reach 6 feet or more in depth. This extensive root system provides more resilience against environmental stresses than other warm-season lawn grasses.
Bermuda often invades Fescue lawns in this area and if untreated, will eventually take over. Occasionally, Fescue and Bluegrass will disrupt a Bermuda or Zoysia lawn. This is not usually a long term problem as long as the Bermuda or Zoysia is in a bright, sunny area.
Renovation from bermuda to fescue takes a little work (and patience) but it's well worth the effort. Fescue rewards you with a green lawn for at least ten months out of the year and won't creep into your landscaped areas.
Tall fescue is also dark green in color but can grow to about three to four feet if left unattended. Compared to blades of bermudagrass, tall fescue can be identified by its wide leaf blades that have equal-sized veins running parallel on the leaf. It has no prominent central vein, also known as a midrib.
Because it's so tough and persistent, most professionals and homeowners use an herbicide (generally glyphosate) to kill it. They spray, strip off the dying sod, irrigate to generate growth of any surviving rhizomes, and then repeat the process at least once (one treatment rarely kills a Bermuda lawn).
If the bermudagrass is still brown and all you can find is occasional green leaves down in the canopy, you can get away with spraying a low rate of Roundup.
Consider using a herbicide or weed killer to get a handle on the Bermudagrass. The non-selective herbicide is sold as Round Up or Ornamec, among other brands. Selective herbicides act specifically as weed control for Bermudagrass without killing other grass.
A restricted use herbicide called TFC, or Tall Fescue Control, can be applied by a lawn service. It can selectively kill fescue without harming the bluegrass. It may be slow-acting and seems to work best when applied in fall.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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