Complete Guide on How to Grow Bermuda Grass

lawn close up

Bermuda grass is a variety that people appreciate all over the world for its lush, green aspect. It’s mostly grown in hot climates and it’s ideal if you want a type of grass that is resistant to traffic in your own backyard. It’s not hard to learn how to grow Bermuda grass, but you need to pay attention to a couple of aspects.

Before Planting

1. Should You Be Doing It?

The first thing you need to do before planting is to ask yourself if it’s the right thing to do. In general, Bermuda grass loves to live in a sub-tropical climate (such as India, Africa, Australia, South America, Southern U.S.). If you happen to live in the north or an area that has plenty of rainfall or cold temperatures, maybe you should think about other types of grass. Luckily, you can find some special Bermuda grass hybrids that can resist to cold. However, they may be more expensive and you should consult with a specialist before using them.

Close up of Bermuda grass leaves
Image source

2. Till the Area

Next, you will need to till the area where you want to plant the Bermuda grass. For this, you must get a tilling machine, which you can rent or purchase from various stores. Roll the tiller and make sure you lift all the weeds and grass that are on your lawn. Most likely, you will need to repeat this step until you have a completely clean soil. Don’t skip it since it ensures the Bermuda grass will thrive without competing with other plants there. Especially ryegrass is dangerous for your plan, containing toxins that affect the Bermuda grass.

3. Rake the Dead Grass

There might still be some dead grass and weeds on your soil so it’s good to remove them before planting. After tilling the soil, you should use a rake and remove the leaves and dead grass. As such, you will end up with a piece of land that is completely clean for your new planting plans.

4. Test the Soil

Another thing you need to do when deciding if and how to grow Bermuda grass is to test the soil. You can take it to a cooperative extension if you have a university nearby, or you can use a soil tester. Ideally, you should offer the grass a soil with a pH of 5.6 – 7 for this type of grass. If you find out that the soil you have is too acidic, then you can add some lime to it. On the contrary, if it’s too alkaline, you should use some sulfur.

5. Add Humus

One aspect you need to keep in mind when learning how to grow Bermuda grass is that it loves well-drained soils. It’s not a good idea to plant it in a clay soil, for instance. For this reason, you should use some humus (soil with a high level of organic material). You can find it at any gardening store. Set a layer of minimum 6 inches of humus before you plant the seeds or lay the sod.

How to Grow Bermuda Grass with Seeds

6. Rake Again

You need to take out the rake and level out the dirt on the area you want to plant. There should be no hills or depressions there so that the seeds can grow nicely on a flat surface. If you notice some depressions, fill them up. Take off any big rocks or organic material before planting the seeds.

Close up of green blades of grass
Image source

7. Plant the Seeds

There are two options: either plant the seeds by hand or buy a broadcast seeder to make sure they are evenly spread out. 1 – 2 pounds of seeds (453.59 – 907.18 g) are enough for 1000 sq. ft. (304.8 sq. m.) for a lush effect. The key here is to distribute the seeds evenly, all over the surface. Sow them at 1/8 inch in depth for the best conditions.

8. Cover them with Soil

With a rake, cover the seeds with soil. An important step in our guide on how to grow Bermuda grass is to cover it with soil so that it can grow. Settle for a light layer between 1/8 and ¼ inch (0.31 – 0.63 cm). If you place too much soil over them, the grass will not grow anymore. You can also add some manure compost if you want to keep birds at bay and let the soil retain its moisture.

9. Water the Seeds

Right after you plant the grass, you need to water it thoroughly. It’s important to keep the soil moist. After that, water the surface every day. When you’re done with the watering, put your finger in the soil and check if the top ½ inch (1.27 cm) is moist. Many people are puzzled with this step because they know Bermuda grass tolerates drought. Indeed, but in the beginning, it needs plenty of water for the seeds to germinate.

10. Use Fertilizer

If you didn’t test the soil, you can use a complete fertilizer for turf (N-P-K). Ideally, the ratio should be 3-1-2 or 4-1-2. Simply sprinkle it over the lawn. If you provide the adequate conditions, Bermuda grass will germinate sometime between 10 and 30 days.

Green lawn and palm trees with the sea in the background
Image source

How to Grow Bermuda Grass from Sod

11. Measure the Area

Basically, sod is a grass that was already grown and you can roll it out on the dirt you have. Before laying it down, you must know how much you need. With a tape measure, assess the area of your lawn. Take out the areas where you don’t need grass, such as blacktops, driveways, etc.

12. Water the Yard Before

The night before you intend to plant the sod, you should water it thoroughly. Use ¼ to ½ inch (which is 0.63 – 1.27 m) of water. This will help the area prepare and the Bermuda grass to grow healthier. Make sure that the water penetrates the soil, but it doesn’t pool on it.

13. Roll Out the Sod

See what’s the longest straight edge you have on the lawn and lay the sod there. Roll it out with the dirt side placed down and push it until flat. Lay it all edge to edge until you cover all the area.

Five layers of rolled up lawn sods placed on the ground
Image source

14. Use a Shovel

It may happen that you come across areas where your sod won’t fit, such as driveways, fountains, etc. In this case, take a shovel and trim it on the sides to make it fit in.

15. Lay Out All the Sod

Simply place the sod in rows next to each other. Make sure there are no holes in the lawn, which can happen if you place them far apart.

16. Water Daily

When you’re done laying the sod, you need to water it thoroughly. For maintenance, water it every morning. Try to keep foot traffic at bay for around a week after you put it down. This will help the grass grow healthier.

How to Grow Bermuda Grass – Tips and Tricks

Now that you know how to grow Bermuda grass both from seeds and sod, it’s time you found out some other tips and tricks for growing it.

Focus on a red lawn mower placed on a green lawn with small yellow flowers
Image source

1. Temperature

As we previously said, Bermuda grass loves direct sunlight and high temperatures. Consequently, keep in mind that if the temperature goes below 60 °F at night, it stops growing. Make sure this doesn’t happen if you want to have a nice lawn.

2. When to Grow?

The best time to plant your Bermuda grass seeds is the beginning of summer. Usually, people plant it 2 ½ months before it freezes for the first time.

3. Take a Break

After you completed the step with loosening the soil, you should wait 2-3 weeks. This helps you check that the area has no dormant sprouts of other plantings or weeds.

4. When to Fertilize?

Ideally, you should fertilize the soil during morning or evening. Water the area well when you’re done.

5. Have an Irrigation System

Before deciding on how to grow Bermuda grass, you should think of the irrigation system. This includes the sprinkler layout, as well as lawn borders.

Man with a lawnmower taking care of his green lawn
Image source

6. Keep It on the Ground

An important thing to keep in mind is that you need to ensure the Bermuda grass seeds, sod, sprigs, or plugs are in contact with the soil all the time. Otherwise, this might interfere with its proper development.

7. Don’t Mix Varieties

You should know that many sod varieties don’t go well with seed varieties. For this reason, pay attention to what type of grass you want to plant and don’t mix them.

8. Regulate Overseeding

If you want to overseed Bermuda grass with other types, you should ensure an adequate soil contact. If needed, you can use some growth regulators, for example.

9. Edge It Regularly

One major drawback when learning how to grow Bermuda grass is that it affects other plants in its surroundings. Because of this, you should edge it constantly. Use herbicides occasionally, to regulate its growth.

Conclusion

Bermuda grass is a great-looking option for a lush lawn. Though it’s not difficult to plant it, it requires constant maintenance if you want it to look appealing. The best part is that it grows to resist both drought and heat, so it won’t be that vulnerable once it’s established.

Image source: 1

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts