Bermuda grass seed heads are a common sight in the springtime, but many people don’t know why they’re appearing. Bermuda grass is a warm season turfgrass that grows well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9b-11 and requires at least 10 inches of rain per year to thrive.
What is a Bermuda Grass Seed Head?
The Bermuda grass seed head is actually the female part of the plant that forms after pollination occurs between two plants. These seeds are important for new growth, so if you have Bermuda grass in your yard or garden area it’s best to allow these seed heads to be distributed naturally on their own instead of trying to pull them off by hand or with weed trimmers which can damage the blades and leaves more than just pulling off
4 Reasons Bermuda Grass Seed Heads Appear
A question that often plagues homeowners is why are Bermuda seed heads appearing? They can be unsightly and may spoil the look of the lawn.
Here are 4 reasons your bermuda grass is producing seed heads:
1. You are not mowing your bermuda grass at the correct height.
Mow your Bermuda grass at 2 inches in height or higher. This will prevent the plant from producing seed heads and will also help prevent diseases such as brown patch and thatch buildup. You can also use a bagger attachment on your mower to catch the clippings, which will reduce thatch build up and keep your lawn looking great!
2. The Bermuda grass is getting too much nitrogen fertilizer.
Nitrogen is one of three nutrients needed for strong, healthy turfgrass growth (the other two being phosphorous and potassium). If you apply too much nitrogen to your bermuda grass it will produce more leaf growth than stolons (runners) which will cause the plant to grow taller than normal, but not wider or thicker.
This is called “lateral growth,” which means that there are no new stolons being produced, so you end up with a thin lawn instead of a thick one. To avoid this problem, make sure that you apply high quality granular slow release fertilizers containing: 0-0-6-2 or 0-0-8-3 (nitrogen -phosphorus -potassium -magnesium). These numbers represent the percentage of each nutrient in the fertilizer.
For example: if you have a fertilizer containing 0-0-6-2 then it contains 6% nitrogen, no phosphorus, 2% potassium and 2% magnesium per pound of fertilizer applied to your lawn. If you prefer liquid fertilizers then look for something between 4%-5% nitrogen per gallon of water applied to your lawn (NOT PER GALLON OF WATER AS ABOVE). Applying too much nitrogen can also cause an imbalance in soil pH levels which can lead to iron chlorosis in bermudagrass causing yellowing leaves with green veins between leaf veins (see picture below).
3. You are applying the fertilizer too often.
If you apply high quality granular slow release fertilizers containing: 0-0-6-2 or 0-0-8-3 then you should only need to fertilize your Bermuda grass every 3 months (spring, summer and fall). Applying too much fertilizer can result in the plants growing taller than normal which will cause them to produce seed heads and not develop a thick, healthy turfgrass canopy.
If you prefer liquid fertilizers then look for something between 4%-5% nitrogen per gallon of water applied to your lawn (NOT PER GALLON OF WATER AS ABOVE). Applying too much nitrogen can also cause an imbalance in soil pH levels which can lead to iron chlorosis in bermudagrass causing yellowing leaves with green veins between leaf veins (see picture below).
4. The Bermuda grass is getting too much potassium fertilizer.
Potassium is one of three nutrients needed for strong, healthy turfgrass growth (the other two being phosphorous and nitrogen). Too much potassium can result in the plant producing seed heads instead of stolons (runners) which will cause it to grow taller than normal but not wider or thicker.
To avoid this problem make sure that you apply high quality granular slow release fertilizers containing: 0-0-6-2 or 0-0-8-3 (nitrogen -phosphorus -potassium -magnesium).
These numbers represent the percentage of each nutrient in the fertilizer. For example: if you have a fertilizer containing 0-0-6-2 then it contains 6% nitrogen, no phosphorus, 2% potassium and 2% magnesium per pound of fertilizer applied to your lawn. If you prefer liquid fertilizers then look for something between 4%-5% nitrogen per gallon of water applied to your lawn (NOT PER GALLON OF WATER AS ABOVE).
Applying too much potassium can also cause an imbalance in soil pH levels which can lead to iron chlorosis in bermudagrass causing yellowing leaves with green veins between leaf veins.
FAQs
How do you stop Bermuda grass seed heads?
After Bermuda grass seed heads begin to grow, the best option is to use a weed killer designed for tough weeds. Note that these are very strong chemicals that should not be used near water sources and they require protective equipment to apply them correctly.
They’re also expensive so application should be limited if at all possible.
You can try spraying Roundup when they’re still just sprouts, but if you miss the window it might work better than nothing. If all goes well however you’ll end up with a lot of dead plants poking out from green ones, which is quite unsightly and goes against what most people want in their yard.
Will seed heads go away?
To some degree, yes. The seed head will go away if the plant is allowed to grow to maturity and has a successful growing season.
Since there are no leaves left once seed heads achieve their full size, it will not produce any more energy using photosynthesis and eventually die in the winter months from lack of appropriate light sources or water resources.
Furthermore, seed heads can be managed in ways that allow them to survive over winter so another round of growth may occur during the following growing season.
Should you let Bermuda grass go to seed?
Allowing your Bermuda grass to go to seed not only keeps your lawn at a lower, more manageable mowing height, but also provides a plethora of benefits both to your bottom line as well as the safety and health of your family. By allowing the grass to reach a taller height before cutting it short, you’ll save money on gas, time and mower wear-and-tear since you’ll be mowing far less often.
You’ll be able to ensure that weeds can’t grow in your lawn as the Bermuda grass will choke them out.
Moreover, having a shorter lawn is much safer for children and pets running around as they won’t have to worry about any tall blades of grass obscuring their vision; this could potentially prevent any nasty accidents from occurring.
In conclusion, letting your Bermuda grass go to seed can provide an abundance of advantages financially, environmentally and safely.