I'd mow then wait about 5 days for new growth. Use a spreader sticker w/the herbicide, that's crucial.> A "surfactant." For more info, Google a search on...ummm, "herbicide surfactant" or something like that. Bermuda grass + nuclear bomb...kiddin...

Now, I'm determined to get rid of this weed, even tho my neighbors have it. I'm presently attempting to shade it out along the property line. It doesn't like shade...which gives me hope.

Once you kill it, you'll be left with a thick mat of wiry runners. They're unslightly if you plan on reseeding a new lawn there. You could rake them if you don't have too large an area. Good luck~ Otherwise you might need some heavy machinery to get them out. I don't recall the name of the machine we rented but the rental places will know what you're talking about. (or I could just ask DH)

I hate bermuda grass.....

neal westmoreland, orange texas

http://www.roxburyfarmgarden.com/products.php?pid=518&openparent=121

Now we want to fix the landscaping and get rid of the bermuda. The plan is to rototil in 2-3 inches of planting mix to help our clayey soil, then put in fruit trees, lawn, and flower beds.

I've removed the top 2 inches of soil already with a sod cutter, but I think this may have been a mistake, because while the thatch is gone, I still see plenty of runners.

What do you recommend to get this project started right? I can treat the bermuda, but that means I'll have to wait til it's hot and it starts growing again. By then, it'll be too late to get my fruit trees and flower beds started, and I don't want to kill the new stuff by putting chemicals around.

Are there any better options? TIA.

Matt

Mid summer. Sprayed roundup over the entire area.
2-3 weeks later everything was brown
Next I control burned the brown mat of grass remaining (hoping to kill any seeds on top of the soil)
5-6 weeks later random spots of bermuda grass returned
Next I reapplied roundup to kill stubborn spots
In the fall, I rototilled about 3-4 inches everywhere, then planted fescue. someone told me that by cutting the roots into many pieces, I would have more bermuda than ever. They were wrong. What actually happens is that the roots were brought up to the top of the soil (because they are lighter than dirt) where they were killed by the cold winter weather. Bermuda grass hates cold weather and needs to be undisturbed deep in the soil to safely overwinter)
The following spring/summer, no bermuda (I patrol the yard every month or so)
August, I find a few isolated spots in the yard of wiregrass. (you can learn to spot bermuda grass at a distance if you are alert, it's ugly, in the fall after the first frost, it turns brown in an otherwise still green field of fescue) Don't bother trying to pull them out, you can't get the roots. I apply concentrated roundup with an artist brush to any bermuda I see (they really brown fast with this method). I know I sound possessed, but I will win. Even after that, stubborn well heeled rhizomes can reemerge.
I am in the process of the last stage, applying Ornamec. Just learned about it and I ordered some and read the label. It is safe on fescue if used properly and will control bermudagrass. So when the bermuda shows itself in the hot summer months, and it will, I'll spot it on one of my patrols and spot spray the area with Ornamec. I think this will be the knockout punch that can eliminate it for good. The key is to get it quick before the green leafy matter can make nutrients to store in the roots. I'll probably always have to be on the lookout for a rogue seed that gets started here and there and spot treat a few places from time to time. There is one thing I know for sure, roundup alone will not erraticate bermuda grass, unless you apply it constantly for probably 7 or 8 years (that's how long weed seeds can hold out) but if you are really determined to prevail, you can with a multi approach. Good luck (YOU'LL NEED IT).

1) I recently purchased Turflon Ester. Is this a good product to use to kill the Bermuda grass?
2) The label on the Turflon Eater products talks about Bermuda grass suppression although the label on the bottle mentions "Ornamental Turf Herbicide". Does this mean the killing of the Bermuda grass as I would like?
3) Can you recommend a good "over-the-counter" product (purschased at Home Depot and/or Lowes) that will kill the Bermuda grass?
4) I have read to wait until the Bermuda grass starts turning green and growning before applying the herbicide. If I start now, while the Bermuda grass is still brown, will it accellerate the killing of the Bermuda grass?
5) How will I know when the Bermuda grass is completely dead?
6) Once the Bermuda grass is dead can you recommend a method of removal (pulling up by hand, dethatcher, heavy rake, sod removing machine....)?
7) How soon can I start re-seeding (tall fescue) the affected area after the Bermuda grass is dead?

Please help...

Thank you

I spot treated each place with Roundup which killed it. I waited for 2 weeks to see if it looked like it was coming back. The dallas grass still looked a little green so I shot it again.

I waited another two weeks and then I dethatched and airated my lawn really good. All this I did in September. In early October I reseeded by lawn using 200 lbs of Lesco Premium Fescue mix.

I then had my lawn service company do their thing which included fertilizer etc.

The secret is about February they applied in with their treatment a herbicide that kept the seeds that remained from sprouting.

That was year before last and I still have a beautiful fescue lawn and the same lawn service treating my lawn regularly.

I might mention that I also had a sprinkler system installed and water my lawn for 20 minutes every other day.

I have a few spots that came under the fence from my neighbors yard which I treated with Ornamec and it took care of that. Just keep watch on any shoots that might try to come over on you and shoot it with Ornamec.

Worked for me.

Tom

I finally found it at Lowes, 2 of the 3 stores within 50 mi of me carry it. Of course the closest one doesn't, but after an email to lowes headquarters the mgr of that store called me to say he is trying to get it approved for his set.

It's about $16.00 for a quart which you attach and spray with you hose. I have a rather small yard; if you have a large area the Ornamec concentrate may be woth it as I understand you use only a little each time.

But with the Bayer you need to repeat applications monthly as bermuda is very tough grass. I first applied to my back yard (about 20'x40', used 1/2 bottle) in the end of June. BONUS... it kills many other weedy grasses too including the dreaded crabgrass! In about 5 days most of the wide leaf weedy grasses looked very sickly, ind of laying flat and turning yellow and redish. Within 2-3 weeks a lot of the were shriveled and brown and the bermuda grass did not look too healthy, certainly not compared to my fescue which now looked much better not being covered and smothered by weedy grasses.

Last week I did a second spray in the back yard, and this time the front too, the entire yard used 1 bottle. This week I see more weedy grass kill in the back and the front wide blade grasses look pretty sick. The bermuda grass in the back definitly is starting get a redish tinge and looking thin. I also have a side yard section that hasn't been sprayed at all and the bermuda is thick and green there. So far it seems to be working pretty well. The lable does say to eliminate bermuda apply monthly for 1-2 seasons. But for me, I'm happy with the other weedy grass kill even if it is going to take some time on the bermuda and my fescue is fine.

I used it (relatively) selectively by placing a shutoff on the end of the hose, and applying only to the active patches. No need to cover the entire lawn with chemicals.

Also, Bayer told me it's root systemic -- spraying the leaves is much less effective. Quick blast at the roots of each patch was very effective in a couple of weeks. Also Johnsongrass and St. Mary's (all are active here in SE Penna).

Good luck.

I see that you can't use Bayer Bermudagrass control on St. Augustine, but there's soooo little left I might just use it anyway. And then lay some sod over it after its all gone.

So make sure you test the stuff before you go full steam.

Bermuda doesn't do well in shade, so cut your grass as high as possible. St. Augustine and most other grasses grow up (towards the sky). Bermuda grows out (via runners). Water and fertilize your grass and cut it high, the Bermuda will eventually die out.

Also, use a bagger when cutting your lawn. You will probably notice that Bermuda has little seed sprouts that grow up out of the grass. If you mow without a bagger attachment, you're spreading that seed like crazy.

If you have Bermuda in flower beds, you need to dig down deep to get the whole root. For every inch you can see above soil, there's at least two inches below the soil.

Flower beds! Yes! I need flower beds! Hmmm...previous home owner must have moved some things around, I spy some things coming up in odd spots. No problem, I have digging implements!

Dig, dig, shift, shift, mulch, mulch. Ahhhh....the daffodils look much better in a flower bed instead of a foot out into the yard. A nice brick border would look great along that bed as well. Dig, dig. Tug, tug. Scratch, scratch with my three prong digger. Dig some more. Grrrr...what IS this stuff????

Back inside to the handy dandy internet.

OMG! O..M..G!!! I have BERMUDA GRASS!!! Horrors!!!

Two backbreaking days later, I have the brick border down, and have moved on to the rather pathetic little flower bed out by the corner at the street.

Oh Dear Lord, what kind of people lived here before I did? Not only is there bermuda grass growing in that one, it's LOVING the black plastic trash bags they saw fit to put down, and then put several inches of dirt on top. The roots of the bermuda grass have formed a nearly impenetrable mat under the plastic. And because it's plastic, it's doing what they say plastic won't do, breaking down. Bits are sticking up above the dirt. There's holes in it that the grass has grown thru. A nearby tree has woven it's roots in the plastic.

Another day of digging with that three prong digger. Scratch the dirt loose, dig out the roots, scratch some more. Easily have dug 20 gallons of bermuda grass out of a flower bed that's about 2' x 3' and I'm not done yet.

God bless whoever made that little three prong digger. When I'm buried, I want it with me. Just in case I have to dig thru some bermuda grass.