getting rid of a Bermuda lawn?

Over the last few weeks I have talked to garden Crew clients about Bermuda lawns. The question is usually about killing the Bermuda and resodding the lawn.

I have some good news and some bad news.

Which shall it be?

Ok you want the good news first?

Save your money. There, that is easy.

Of course you want to know why I say that. I have never been enthusiastic about getting rid of Bermuda lawn but my concerns were about the Bermuda that had grown under the walks where you can’t get at it. Eventually it will get out and I knew it.

Several years I had a Bermuda lawn that I wanted to improve so I used roundup on it twice and reseeded over the dead Bermuda. By next spring I had Bermuda coming back. Next I decided to really get rid of it so I sprayed extra carefully and instead of putting back a lawn I built a couple of mounds, put down about 3” of humus. Then I landscaped with Roses, sasanqua camellias, azaleas in the shade together with a couple of dwarf Japanese maples. I used Australian violet, ajuga and cerastium as ground covers

I did this with the expectation that when the Bermuda quit I would go back to a lawn.

Right on schedule the Bermuda started back. This time because it wasn’t as well established it didn’t come back as strong. It kept coming back for about 12 months, the real bad news is that I still got a few shoots as long as 36 months later. That’s is three years!

If I had a lawn there I wouldn’t have been able to see the Bermuda and within a few years it would have reverted back.

Getting rid of Bermuda in areas you intend to plant shrubs and trees will work but unless you are willing to do what I did and eliminate the lawn for over three years it isn’t going to stop it.

Now if two to five years of essentially Bermuda free lawn isn’t worth a thousand dollars or more I have to say “Don’t bother.”