Bermuda in My St. August Needs Something

irongeneral – posted 05 July 2007 09:14

Can someone give me some pointers on what to do with my Bermuda that has taken over certain areas of my Saint August. I have accepted the fact that it is here to stay but in some spots it is sparse,besides probably needing more sunlight is there anyway I can get it a little more fuller or healthier than what it is.

hankhill – posted 06 July 2007 11:04

What height are you cutting at? You canfavor SA by cutting at 3″. As far as shade,Bermuda doesn’t like shade as well as SAin my experience, so the invasion shouldn’tbe as bad in heavily shaded areas.

rod – posted 09 July 2007 07:41

Anything that will kill the bermudagrass will also kill the St. Augustine (herbicide, etc), both are classified as “thin leaf grass” and not such product exist to control/kill either one with in the same area.You can keep the St. Augustinegrass as the dominant one if you allow it to grow high and keep it mowed at 3 inches or more. Also if you fertilize only once a year (which is enough for the St. Augustine) the Bermuda will not grow and spread so quickly.As a contingency I had to apply once an herbicide with a paint-brush to the Bermudagrass leaf only, and after been killed the St Augustinegrass will take over, and Ive done so on the crowded areas, (didn’t care about broking my back as I was used to it by pulling the Bermudagrass every other week), some of my lawn areas now look “spotty” and I am looking forward to see the areas recovered.Prefer St Augustinegrass over Bermudagrass on my entire lawn

irongeneral – posted 10 July 2007 09:20

I have always mowed on the highgest setting my Toro Push will go. You can barely tell I mowed after a day and a half. I fertilize Halloween with easy gro winterizer,Easter easy gro 19 5 9 and again mid July especially this year with all the rain here in Houston. Every couple of months liquid triazicide and put the dry down for residual. Fung away in Fall as well and early spring. I guess I can do no more,But I grant you one thig,I will never use a Herbacide (Ideal) again no matter what the bottle says.

irongeneral – posted 10 July 2007 09:21

Excuse me I meant Image above

hankhill – posted 11 July 2007 23:40

Actually, there are herbicides that distinguish SA and bermuda.Several that won’t affect bermuda will damage SA severely.Conversely, Prograss will kill the Bermuda (above ground) without killing SA.(See my post about Prograss.) It’s not a perfect solution becauseit seems to shut down growth in the SA for long enough that the bermudagrows back from its rhizomes. In the spring, mold hits SA hard so thelack of growth during this period allows weeds to come in. It alsosmells *real* bad. I may try again with a lower rate of application next year.

I’m not sure why Image killed your SA. Did you use a sprayer withconcentrate or a hose applicator product? I’ve used it before andwhile it didn’t kill the grass, it did sicken it. It’s one of the fewproducts that will give a strong kill to nutsedge. Even roundup won’tkill it below ground very well. One other product that is sold fornutsedge control is Manage/Sedgehammer, which I’m told is easier on SA.