kill bermuda or let it go?

atoner – posted 08 August 2003 23:58

I need some advice on a big decision for my yard. This fall, I can either go all out, kill everything, till, and start over with Fesuce, or I can continue trying to improve the soil, aerate, let the Bermuda stay, and overseed. I’m in North Carolina. One neighbor has nice Fescue with some crabgrass and a little Bermuda. The other neighbor has a mix of all sorts of stuff. I’ve got a lot of crabgrass too.

There’s Bermuda all around and in my yard. I’m concerned that I’d spend a lot of time trying to get rid of something that grows quite well on its own, and that it’ll just come back in a few years. I’m also worried that the Fescue won’t take well, and the crabgrass next year will be awful. On the flip side, I see killing and tilling as the only way to get rid of the weeds, fix my soil problems, and get the Fesuce a good start.

However, I also want some green in the winter but am worried about trying to have both a Fesuce and a Bermuda lawn. In the summer, one wants to be 1″ high while the other prefers 3″. Plus the fertilizer times don’t match up. Also, I see it being hard to establish thick Fescue where the Bermuda is already thick.

I really appreciate any comments.

VooMan – posted 09 August 2003 12:49

Hi Atoner,

I am in Atlanta, Georgia, and when I first bought my house the yard was probably 40% bermuda, 50% weeds, and 10% bare dirt. I thought that I should probably kill off the bermuda and start over…

When I had my sprinkler system installed the guy told me not to worry about seeding or anything; just water it and the bermuda will take over. Boy was he right! This year my lawn is looking beautiful… completely covered in bermuda with a little crabgrass I continue to battle. If your yard gets a lot of sun and the bermuda is taking over, let it go… I don’t think you can win a battle against bermuda. haha In the back of my house the builder put fescue, and now that I have had a couple of trees removed it gets a lot of sun. A small patch of bermuda is quickly taking over back there as well.

If you can’t beat em, join em. 😉

(note: this is just one man’s opinion. I am not a lawn care specialist, nor do I play one on TV. I just love my bermuda now that it’s doing well.)

Good luck,Andrew

atoner – posted 10 August 2003 18:32

Thanks for the advice. I guess you’re telling me what I want to hear, i.e. less work for me to just let it grow. I do want green in the winter, so should I overseed with fescue or ryegrass? I don’t like the way thick ryegrass looks when it dies off in the spring.

VooMan – posted 10 August 2003 22:49

Hello again,

I think that is completely up to you… Personally, I don’t mind the straw-like look of my yard when the bermuda goes dormant. To me it’s yet another change to the color of the landscape, like flowers that bloom and die off, if you know what I mean…

I do see some people who overseed for the winter, but I don’t bother. How’s that for a non-commital response. 😉 It’s really up to you and what you like.

Good luck with it. :-)Andrew