Green Bermuda white on top???

spike76001 – posted 15 June 2006 19:14

Hi I have a question regarding Bermuda grass, I Fertilize once a month cut twice a week with a bag lawn mower @ 3 inches high and water every 3 days, grass came from dormant and was healthy no weeds or anything was DARK GREEN and SHINY but now lately it started sprouting out seed stems wich when I mowe leaves the grass DARK GREEN but with brownish kinda whitish seed stems on them giving it a kinda white look on top any ideas as to how to ELIMINATE that look. any help will be appreciated THANK YOU in Advance

Grassguy – posted 15 June 2006 20:28

How deep do you water. what kind of fert do you use. have you ever performed a soil analysis thru your local county extension. Do not let your bermuda go to seed, this depletes the charbohydrate stores in the turf which decreases shoot and root growth, there are no viable seed in the infloresence,(seed panicle).

spike76001 – posted 15 June 2006 21:39

I use Lesco fertilizer with the highest nitrogen I water about 20 to 30 minutes per area

Grassguy – posted 15 June 2006 22:19

You need deep watering of equivalent to 1 inch in depth assuming you have porus soil. 90 minutes is required for 1 inch of water usually.You can measure the amount of water with a tuna can in the yard. when it fills you have delivered 1 inch. Bermuda likes fast release nitrogen such as a 21-0-0 or 34-0-0. A soil test will let you know if the phosporus is to high, or the PH is out of proper range. PH is critical for nutrient uptake. Cool soil absorbs more water so water in the mornings between 4 and 7 AM, not late morning because you dont want to extend the free water on the lawn,(the dew). extended wet periods in the cool mornings can promote disease. Although what you claim does not fall under any diseases that I am familiar with, sounds more like cultural practice is your problem. I assume you dont remove more than 1/3rd of the turf in one cutting? Get a soil analysis through your county extension and follow the directions for doing so. Upon the results make the changes required but until then use a fast release nitrogen like the one described above or a complete fert with a low middle number around 4. The last number being potassium is great for drought resistance and resistance to damage. If you dont want to do a soil test you can apply the fast release nitrogen at a rate of 1 to 1-1/2 pound per 1000 and water in. excessivbe nitrogen applications create thatch problems. Once every 22 days will be fine for the 21-0-0 and cut the turf down around 1 inch to make it tiller and spread then no lower than 1-1/2 inch or where ever it has the best appearance depending on the variety of bermuda you have.

Grassguy – posted 15 June 2006 22:43

I forgot to mention that once a week on the watering should be sufficent(at the rate I described) unless the turf tells a different (visual) story. If your lawn is sod it should soak up water nicely with minimal to no runoff.The key is to get the water deep into the root zone and provide the fast release nitrogrn for best results. I do recommend a soil test.also, do you mulch or collect the clippings?

okgrassguy – posted 16 June 2006 11:48

Im glad someone else has this problem, in my case the seed heads never grow tall. They are encased in a tough sheath that nothing can mow.

Last year I used a rotary at about 2.5 inches. I initially thought the stemmy bermuda was due to improper mowing. This year im mowing at .75 with a reel mower and im still having this problem. I have aerated and im more carefull about watering corectly and mowing correctly. The problem still persists.

Grassguy – posted 16 June 2006 15:35

what does your fert program consist of? and do you know what your current soil PH is. as well as the macro/micro nutrient levels. sounds like the turf is not getting something or to much of something.

Grassguy – posted 16 June 2006 16:13

I also meant to ask, Is the entire lawn this way with the white tips or just certain areas?

spike76001 – posted 16 June 2006 17:41

1st thanks for the replys. I use amower with a bag so I collect the clippings, now some areas have this white effect on top I would say about 90% of the yard.

spike76001 – posted 16 June 2006 18:55

one more question what any particular fertilzer that you would recomend?

Grassguy – posted 16 June 2006 21:24

Lesco makes a good fert, But I would not apply anymore complete ferts until you get a soil analysis. You may find the underlying cause to the die back on the tips thru this. If the PH is off the turf will not perform. If the macro or micro nutrients are off the turf will not perform. Also the bentgrasses are prone to thatching, be sure your thatch level(if any)is not over 0.5 inch thick. You may very well see improvment with applications of 34-0-0 at 2lbs per 1000 SQ ft once a month.

spike76001 – posted 17 June 2006 19:22

Hope this helps some of you solving the same problem that I have. it seem that it worked for me. On one side of the house I’ve been mowing with a bag about 3 inches high, now on the other side of the house I’ve been mowing with a reel lawn mower @ 1 5/8 inches high, same amount of fertilizer, everything the same, now on the side that I used the reel, the grass never got the white effect on top I did that for about 2 weeks now, mowing twice a week the same on the other side but @ a higher level. on the higher level, I mowed 2 days ago and still had the white effect, today I mowed lower with a bag and it reduced the white effect I would say by 85 % or more, so I now have less white stems but a couple not too much and not too big Brown spots and also the grass had a shinier kinda glowish green look to it. hope this will help, THANK YOU for the replys