-[Curtis Smith] The incredible plant called Bermuda
grass is considered by some as the most
widely distributed flowering plant on
earth. It has a dual reputation as one of
the world's worst weeds and one of the
best things that ever happened to golf
courses, athletic fields, and lawns in the
warm regions of the world. It spreads
aggressively by means of runners above
the ground called stolens, and runners
below the ground called rhizomes. As warm season grasses, Bermuda grasses thrive in
hot weather, and are green all summer
long, and go dormant in colder winter
months. Bermuda's love full sun and
generally do poorly in the shade.
Bermuda is one of the great choices to save
water on our lawns in our desert regions.
Withholding water in the summer will
cause it to turn brown but won't kill it.
Green grass comes back with renewed
watering. There are many types of Bermuda
grasses adapted to different conditions
and uses. Seeded varieties offer the
advantage of inexpensive establishment but
many people are allergic to the pollen
these varieties produce. Hybrid or
sterile varieties have to be established
by citing or planting plugs or sprigs.
These varieties tend to have a finer
leaf and can be more difficult to mow evenly. A low-maintenance hybrid that is
coarser than many hybrids and easier to
mow is Tifton. In the hot dry Chihuahuan
region, a long standing hybrid named Tifgreen performed very well as a lawn variety.
A seeded variety called Princess
77 was an excellent choice as well.
NewMex Sahara
offers good drought tolerance.
In cooler regions of the southwest,
Guymon Bermuda is a variety that will
green up sooner in the spring and
tolerate cold. Turf evaluation trials are
being conducted across the nation, and
you may want to check with the
Cooperative Extension Service in your
state to find out results.
Beware of neighbors who tell you to mow Bermuda
grass down to the ground summer or winter.
It is true that some varieties can offer
almost a putting green surface. But
generally for lawns it is better to set
a 3/4 to 1 inch mowing height. And it is
good to maintain some cover even in
winter. General guidelines for caring for
Bermuda grass include using a complete
fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium.
Fertilizers show the percentages of each in that order on the back. A soil test and analysis is the
best guide to fertilizer rates. But
spring and summer rates of fertilization
generally run one pound of nitrogen per
thousand square feet per month.
So if a mix is 20% nitrogen it will take 5
pounds, per thousand square feet, per
month to get that one pound of nitrogen.
About 2 inches of water per week in the
summer will usually suffice. But check to
see that the soil is moist 6 inches deep.
In the fall, cut the fertilization rate
in half and reduce it even more in late fall.
A higher percentage of potassium
becomes more important in the fall for
drought tolerance and root growth. Over
the winter, water enough to keep moisture
levels 6 inches down and you'll have a
great stand of Bermuda next year.
