Bermuda grass is a problem in St Augustine lawns because it grows quickly and spreads, making it difficult to maintain. There are several ways to get rid of Bermuda grass in St Augustine lawns including using chemical treatments or biological controls.
We recommend organic methods for getting rid of bermuda grass in St Augustine lawns since they are safer for the environment and offer long-term control without harming your pets or children.
Here are some helpful tips on how to get rid of bermuda grass in St Augustine lawns.
Will Bermuda Grass Take Over St. Augustine?
Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass that thrives in hot, humid climates. It is a vigorous grower and spreads by above-ground stolons that root at the nodes. If left unchecked, it can take over a St Augustine lawn.
How To Get Rid Of Bermuda Grass In St Augustine Lawn
Here are 5 steps to get rid of bermuda grass in a st augustine grass lawn:
1. Remove the Bermuda Grass
The most important step in removing bermuda grass is to remove as much of it as possible. If you just leave the grass, you will have a bermuda grass lawn again in a couple of years.
The easiest way to remove the bermudagrass is to use a sod cutter, which will cut out strips of turf and roots. You can then throw these sections away or compost them.
This method works well if you have a large area that needs to be cleared because it is actually faster than pulling out each individual piece of Bermuda grass by hand.
However, if you do not want to spend the money on a sod cutter, you can pull out each piece by hand with some effort over several days or weeks.
If you choose this option, we recommend using leather gloves and pulling out all pieces of Bermuda grass until they are at least 6 inches below the surface of your soil.
2. Add Compost
After removing all traces of bermudagrass, add compost into your yard to help replenish your soil’s nutrients and improve its drainage quality. We recommend adding organic compost from your local garden store or making your own compost from kitchen scraps and other plant matter that would otherwise go into landfills (see our article on how to make compost).
Adding compost will help restore nutrients that were depleted when the Bermuda grass was growing and give your lawn an overall boost in health and nutrition! It also helps loosen up heavy clay soils so they drain better – which is especially important for St Augustinegrass since it does not like wet feet! Be sure to water thoroughly after adding the compost so that it has time to get down deep into the soil before hot weather arrives again.
3. Re-seed the Lawn
Once you’ve removed all traces of bermudagrass, it is time to re-seed the area with St Augustinegrass seed. We recommend using a quality grass seed mix that contains St Augustinegrass because this will give your lawn the best chance at success.
If you do not have a local store that sells grass seed, we recommend ordering from an online retailer like Amazon or buying from a local lawn care company.
Be sure to water the area well after seeding so that the seeds are able to get started growing before hot weather arrives again. It can take up to 3 months for the new grass to fully establish itself and start producing healthy green blades!
4. Fertilize Your New Lawn
After seeding, fertilize your new lawn with a high quality fertilizer such as Scotts Turf Builder (we recommend using Scotts Turf Builder Plus with Crabgrass Control).
This will help promote healthy growth and give your new St Augustinegrass lawn a boost in nutrients and overall health! Be sure to water thoroughly after applying fertilizer so that it gets down deep into the soil where it can be absorbed by your new grass roots! You should fertilize once every month during hot weather until your lawn has established itself and is producing healthy green leaves.
Then you can cut back on how often you fertilize – we recommend once every 2 months during summer months or when temperatures are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius). Be sure to follow package instructions for specific amounts of fertilizer based on how large an area you are treating!
5. Maintain Your New Lawn Carefully!
Finally, keep up with regular maintenance of your yard so that your new St Augustinegrass lawn continues growing strong and healthy! Make sure that you mow your grass regularly (we recommend mowing high enough so that there is at least 1 inch between each blade) and watering regularly if necessary (see our article on How To Water A Grass Lawn).
If you follow these steps carefully, within 3 years, there should be no trace of Bermuda grass left in your yard – just beautiful green St Augustinegrass blades growing tall and strong!
Preventing Bermuda Grass From Taking Over A St Augustine Lawn
Here’s how to prevent bermuda grass from taking over a st augustine lawn:
1. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in late January or early February before the grass starts to grow.
2. Water deeply and infrequently, especially during hot, dry weather.
3. Mow your lawn at the highest recommended height for St Augustine grass (3 to 3 1/2 inches). If you live in an area where bermuda grass is prevalent, mow your St Augustine lawn at least once a month during the summer months.
This will keep bermuda grass from spreading by cutting off its ability to reproduce. The less it’s able to spread, the less chance it has of taking over your St Augustine lawn.