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Brad Lechner
Brad Lechner owner and operator of Lechner’s Landscape & Lawn Service, LLC, has been in the lawn maintenance & landscaping industry since 1984. He is a certified Kansas Nursery Dealer & Certified Lawn Pest Control Applicator. Brad also maintains memberships in PLCAMA (Professional Lawn Care Association of Mid-America), Project Living Green, The Wichita Lawn, Flower and Garden Show, and The Better Business Bureau. Lechner's Landscape & Lawn Service does landscaping, lawn maintenance, lawn fertilization programs, tree & shrub insect and disease programs, tree & shrub pruning, seeding and sodding, and positive corrective drainage. You may contact Brad by e-mailing him at: lechnerslawn@aol.com, or by phone at (316) 729-2600.
Lawn, Garden & Landscaping
2004-07-01 10:05:00
Getting rid of ‘wild’ Bermuda
Question:  I have a bunch of 'wild' Bermuda growing in my lawn.  How do I get rid of it?  When is the best time?
ANSWER: ‘Wild' Bermuda can be a real pain.  The best time to kill it is right now... during the hottest months of the summer (July and August).  If you kill it now, you will have a much better chance of getting the most benefits from overseeding this Fall. Bermuda grass is a fine textured "creeping grass" that grows and spreads rapidly during warm summer months. Due to its rapid and sometimes widespread growth during warm months, Bermuda can quickly take over cool-season grasses while dormant. Herbicides are usually not as effective as simply hand-picking these weeds before they grow out of control. To help prevent this, you can apply a pre-emergence just prior to its growing season (usually spring time) to prevent the seeds from germinating. However, the other extreme is to apply fluazifopbutyl or glyphosate to kill all of the grass, then reseed over it. This is only suggested if you plan on replanting or renovating your lawn afterwards. Bermuda grass was brought to America in the 1500's from Africa via the Spaniards.  Since that time has developed from the basic forage grass into one of the major grass species used on the most exclusive golf greens worldwide. This grass is a perennial sod former, dark green, drought resistant, low growing, fast repairing, full sun, has fair salt tolerance, can be mown closely, forms a dense turf,  goes into dormancy when temperatures drop below 60 degrees and greens up fast when temperatures rise. Once only grown from sod or sprigged it is now available as seed in both common and improved varieties.  Bermuda spreads by rhizomes and stolons and is a highly diversified grass.  Lawns planted in Bermuda can attain full lawn coverage in one year.  It is not uncommon for seeded Bermuda lawns to be established within 60-90 days.  This grass is one of the few warm season coverage that will grow a little further north in colder climates. It will turn brown at the first dip in temperature though.  Look for more cold tolerant varieties. In the more warmer tropical south, during average rainfall years, Bermuda will retain a beautiful green color all year round. This grass can be grown on low to high maintenance schedules depending upon the usage. The down side to Bermuda is the aggressive quality that also makes it so popular. Flower beds or other adjacent areas can be over-run if not kept in check by constant edging or applications of herbicides. This is one of the grasses that can "return from the dead" if not completely killed the first time due to its extensive root system and just digging it up without getting rid of the roots will not solve the problem.  Repeated applications of a glyphosphate are usually required to kill Bermuda.
 
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