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get bermuda OUT of fescue lawn

15 years ago

Hello-

We have a lawn that's supposed to be blue grass/fescue. But, our area is indigenous to old hard core bermuda. We have fought this and fought this- we even hired a lawn service that said they could get rid of the bermuda. It didn't happen. In some spots the bermuda has taken hold so much that during the summer- it's the bermuda that's there and in the fall and winter the fescue tries to make a come back. Is there a way to get rid of the bermuda or do you just learn to live with it?? Our neighbors replaced their entire lawn a couple of years ago- and the bermuda is back again....

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Comment (1)

yarddoctor
15 years ago
Dear netkru111

Thank you very much for your inquiry. As you have already surmised, bermudagrass is one tough animal. Its growth habit makes eradication almost impossible. One suggestion I have is to try fenoxaprop-ethyl (sold as Acclaim Extra). It is safe on tall fescue. It will take multiple applications and will also take out crabgrass. Good luck.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers, The Briggs & Stratton Yard Doctor, YardDoctor.com
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I had the same situation at my home in Southern California, primarily fescue but some patches of bermuda. After treating bermuda with Roundup for a year and it coming up next season I chose to dig out the soil with the bermuda including areas beyond where bermuda was figuring roots were there. I dug out probably 18" deep of soil. Guess what? Next season bermuda back. I think once bermuda gets in a lawn you're screwed.
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>How big of an area are you talking about?Rather small, actually. It's a small strip alongside the driveway, measuring something like 5' x 10'. >I'm going to go back to TW's first post and suggest that your friend should learn to love Bermuda.I suppose he could learn to love dandelions, oxalis and crabgrass as well, but that's really not an ideal suggestion for my fescue lawn or garden beds growing alongside it. I can't understand anyone who *chooses* to grow Bermuda grass. It's invasive to every other part of your landscape, ugly (compared to fescue anyway) and turns a lovely shade of brownish gray in the winter. :( Solarization sounds like the most effective choice, but lord, having a dead lawn next door for the next year hardly has me dancing for joy. But I appreciate the suggestions.
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I think your pic posting is just fine. And I think your tall lawn looks really nice too. Of course what we're seeing in the photo that looks so beautiful is the tall fescue because of the height. By the end of next summer, as much as I hate to be a pessimist, is probably going to be majority bermuda that we are seeing. Especially with that southern exposure. There is something you might like to try though and it's on the shelves of your local Lowes. It's Greenlight "Bermuda Killer". The price isn't too bad even for repeat applications. Wait until the summer to use it if you want.
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