turfgrass

Novice – need help with Bermuda grass

Novice – need help with Bermuda grass

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clemtgr – posted 01 May 2005 15:08

Hi folks,

I am un-educated when it comes to lawn-care and looking for some help.

We live in Raleigh, NC in a .19 acre lot with 2500 sq. ft house and rest is lawn. Our builder had bermuda grass sod when we bought the house in April, 2003.

I have not taken good care of the lawn past two years, neverthless, it appears most of the lawn is ok. I am committed to taking much better care and looking for advice on the following:

– the grass doesnt seem continuous nor thick. So I am thinking of seeding on top of the lawn to make it thick and fuller. Is it advisable now? any suggestions?

– I’ve hired a EPM for fertilizer/weed control, but there’s plenty of weed on the lawn. How long does it take generally for the weed control to take effect?

– I dont have irrigation system, I have to constantly move the sprinkler to different areas of the lawn. Is it better to have a irrigation system?

I appreciate any other pointers/suggestions.

thanks,

Walt – posted 01 May 2005 16:37

Hey uneducated,Bermuda grass is usually kinda hardy but it takes 3 things to make it thrive. Sun, water, and nitrogen. Two of those you can control. As a rule, i use a general fertilizer for the first application on or about May 15, of 13-13-13. Then on June 15 and August 15 i supplement with ammonia nitrate 34-0-0 (watered in well). BY using the nitrogen the green will turn a darker color thna normal and will be very pretty. Be prepared to mow more often using this regimen. Keep your blade on the mower sharp. Late in the fall you may want to apply potash to help winterize the turf. A soil sample would give you more specific recommendation than i have supplied but my regimen works. Good Luck. I just built a new house and am planting 5 acres of bermuda grass.Walter in Mississippi

Buck – posted 02 May 2005 08:39

In Chapel Hill, and with 419 turf on about an acre, I find the following works pretty well. Get some fertilizer on there now; bermuda likes a ratio of about 5-1-2 or so. Lesco, on Davis Cir, has a 28-5-12 that I use. Problem is that you only want about a pound on N per 1,000 sq. ft. and that means putting it down at just under 4# per 1,000. Need a good spreader to get that. Repeat applications every 6 weeks. Earlier post about water is a good suggestion. I’d quit monkeying around with the hose. Also, keep it cut low and for this you need a reel mower. Must be powered, one that you push just will not develop the force necessary to spin the reel. I keep mine at about 1/2″ during the summer. Can’t putt on it, but you can play a three-wood down with no problem. Lastly, be very careful about weed killers; many are labeled for bermuda, but when it gets hot later in the season you can really screw things up. If your product says not more than 85 degress, for example, it really means just that.

The guys at Lesco can likely put a program together for you that describes everything you need to be doing.

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