turfgrass

Help for the fall

Help for the fall

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johnf1434 – posted 16 August 2004 11:21

First of all I just want to say that this website and more specifically these forums have been a huge help to me in getting my yard and landscape in order.

I live in Charlotte, NC. I have about 3/4 of an acre and it is in full sun all the time. The ground is hard clay and right now has a mixture of weed, some old fescue and some new bermuda i have just started seeding. I also have just gotten done putting in an irrigation system through the whole yard so watering will not be a problem. My questions is this….I’ve put down bermuda seed but I did not put it down until about the middle of July. I have patches that are coming in really nice. Ultimately I would like to have a complete Bermuda yard, but i would like to put something down for the fall and winter. I put down some annual ryegrass last year and it was great. I’m tempted to do that again this year but I do not want anything to impede the progress of the bermuda come March. I have thought about putting fescue down but i know that that grass is a perrenial and I don’t want to have to deal with that down the road.

– Since the bermuda is pretty new will the ryegrass kill the bermuda or harm it for next season?

– when the time comes how do I get the bermuda to just take over in the spring and just kill off any rye or weeds that may be left over?

– What can i do during the fall and winter months (as far as fertilizer) to prepare the bermuda grow the rye and kill the weeds.

Any suggestions and help is greatly appreciated!!!!!

tommy – posted 18 August 2004 13:35

Annual ryegrass is often used when a quick transition back to bermuda is needed. There is no need for a special fertilizer schedule- but it is a good idea to mow the turf short in the spring. This will encourage the bermuda and stress the ryegrass. Make sure you don’t use perennial rye……..its too heat tolerant and will compete with the bermuda well into the summer.

ted – posted 18 August 2004 18:57

yeah, you’ll need to adjust your fert. schedule more for the bermuda ( if that’s what you want) than the rye. there’s nothing wrong with ferting the ryegrass strongly into the winter, then adjusting back to heavy fert. for the bermuda in the spring- the bermuda transition will occur without too much of a problem. however, i really dont’ recommend bermuda in North Carolina! it’s too far north- may look good in the summer, but is just not green enough, long enough. this will slow down your transition, not so much the fert. program.

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