Learn Your Lawn: Common Bermudagrass

What Is Common Bermudagrass?

Bermudagrass is a warm-season grass, commonly used in residential lawns in areas with hot and dry climates. It’s a fast-growing, dense grass that adapts to a variety of soil types and thrives in high temperatures and sunlight. It has a vibrant green color during the active growing season and may turn brown or dormant during colder months or under drought stress. In some regions, it is considered an invasive weed when it escapes cultivated areas and starts growing in natural habitats.

It's important to consider your specific needs and the conditions of your lawn before deciding whether Common Bermudagrass is the right choice for you.

What are the Pros and Cons of Common Bermudagrass?

Pros:

• Known for its excellent heat and drought tolerance. It can survive and remain green even during periods of limited rainfall or water restrictions.

• Has a vigorous growth rate and can quickly recover from damage, such as foot traffic or mowing. It fills in bare spots and repairs itself relatively quickly.

• It can withstand heavy use and traffic, which makes it ideal for lawns that receive a lot of activity, such as play areas or sports fields.

Cons:

• It has a very aggressive spreading habit and will spread via underground stems (rhizomes) and above-ground runners (stolons), which can invade nearby garden beds, flower borders, and other areas where you might not want it to grow.

• It performs best in full sun and has poor shade tolerance. It struggles to thrive in areas with significant shade, resulting in thinning or patchy growth.

• Bermudagrass goes dormant and turns brown during winter months in cooler climates. It loses its vibrant green color and may not look as visually appealing during this period.

What makes Hybrid Bermudagrass more desirable than Common Bermudagrass?

Hybrid Bermudagrass has become a more desirable variety for home lawns and is favored for its superior qualities such as improved color, texture, density, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. It is typically established through sodding or sprigging methods, and it requires proper maintenance practices like regular mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and aeration to keep it healthy and attractive. It thrives in warm climates and goes dormant during cooler months.

A thick, healthy, well-maintained lawn is always the best line of defense. This can be achieved through beneficial cultural practices which include:

• Core Aeration: Aerating your lawn can improve soil drainage and help reduce the likelihood of lawn diseases. This will also alleviate soil compaction and allow water and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil.

• Fertilize Regularly: Regular applications of Weed Man’s specially formulated, slow-release granular fertilizer will help provide your lawn with adequate nutrients. These applications are timed specifically to avoid over fertilizing the lawn.

• Watering: Under normal circumstances, you should be watering your lawn a few times per week for 30-45 minutes in each area. During hot and dry periods, most lawns should be watered as much as required to maintain its desired green color. Always water in the early morning so the turf has time to dry by nightfall.

• Mowing: Maintain a regular mowing schedule with a razor sharp blade. Never remove more than a ⅓ of the grass blade at each mowing.

Recommended Mowing Height for Bermudagrass Lawns

Common Bermudagrass - ¾ to 1¼ inches

Hybrid Bermudagrass - ½ to 1½  inches

Your local Weed Man professional will be able to offer other solutions and recommend the best form of treatment that is suitable to improve the conditions of your lawn.