There’s no denying that landscaping is super relaxing and beneficial for both your mental and physical health. In fact the latest research shows that landscaping reduces symptoms of depression by 41.5%!

But despite all of the positives, we can’t deny that landscaping brings some frustration, too. You want to choose the type of grass on your lawn, right? Fair enough! But what to do when the lawn is invaded by Bermuda grass? If you are living in warm areas, you will notice that it is a popular choice because it is heat resistant, durable, and fast-growing. That can be a great choice for turf that will get plenty of wear and tear. However, it causes headaches for many landscapers because it spreads to places where you don’t want it.

Okay, but is it possible to kill Bermuda grass!? We have great news for you! We discussed this with professional landscapers and gardeners and it turns out there are plenty of options for killing Bermuda grass! And now, we’d love to share with you some of the best tips on how to get rid of Bermuda grass!

Can Bermuda Grass Be Considered a Weed?

Okay, so Bermuda grass, aka Wiregrass or Devil grass, is a warm-season perennial grass weed. You can often spot it on golf courses, large public lawns, etc. It is logical to plant it in such places where there is a lot of traffic. However, it can be annoying if you have it in your backyard. So what’s the deal with it?

Well, Bermuda grass can help you achieve a lush green lawn. It grows quickly out of seed or sod, and it is super resistant to pests and insects. It is heat and drought-resistant as well and has the power to regenerate quickly. However, if you don’t want it in your backyard, it is invasive and hard to control the weed. Moreover, devil grass will quickly invade your ornamental beds, lawns, vegetable gardens, driveways, patios, etc. That is why if you don’t want to grow it, you need to kill Bermuda grass weed.

Keep in mind that, although possible, it is not a simple task. Yeah, it seems that you can kill Bermuda grass like you would any other plant – with weed control/killer. However, one of the biggest issues is that conventional weed control chemicals destroy other plants as well. Thus, it’s important to look for ways of getting rid of Bermuda grass without destroying everything around. So what are those?…

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Bermuda Grass

When thinking about ways to kill the weeds, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Of course, to use herbicides, right? Indeed you can do that, and we will talk about it a bit later. However, did you know that there are still ways to get rid of weeds naturally? Do you know about them? Here we cover several interesting methods to remove Bermuda grass, so let’s have a look.

Solarization

Solarization is one of the most effective and easiest ways of killing Bermudagrass. And seeing how the word “sol” is in the name, you can imagine that this method will utilize the energy of the sun to heat up the soil and not only kill Bermuda grass, but also pests. And naturally, it’s best to use this method during the hottest summer months. It will destroy the Bermuda grass weed on the surface, but also the stolons that are underground. So, to use this Bermuda grass killer method, you’ll need to:

• First, water the grass as you would usually do. 
• Then cover the entire lawn with a plastic tarp. 
• Place the bricks or rock on the edges of the tarp to prevent it from flying away. The sun rays will pass through the plastic and kill the grass. 
• Leave it for about four weeks to make sure that the process is complete.
• You can either remove the dead grass or leave it to decompose and become fertilizer for grass that you want to grow.

Cultivation

This is another effective and good way to kill Bermuda grass.

• Try to avoid watering the grass for a prolonged period. 
• When the soil gets dry enough, take the spade or rototiller and dig and break the lawn. Make sure that you are digging deep enough to uproot the Bermuda grass. 
• After about two weeks, you will see all the grass and the roots dried out and died on the surface.
• Ideally, you should repeat the cultivation three or four times, to make sure that the cultivation was successful.

Vinegar

Some people think that the best way to kill Bermuda grass is to use vinegar. And yes, this method is particularly effective if you have patches of unwanted grass in your yard. The problem with vinegar, however, is that it will also kill other plants. Thus, if you’re planning on killing Bermuda grass with vinegar, make sure to lay trash bags to cover plants that you want to keep. 

• Combine a gallon of white vinegar and 1 one ounce of liquid dish soap.
• Fill the sprayer with it and shake to mix the ingredients. 
• Protect the surrounding grass and plants with layers of trash bags.
• Spray on the blades of Bermuda grass until it starts to drip.
• If there are more areas of Bermuda grass, repeat the process.
• Remove the trash bags so the sunlight can reach the plants. 
• After three to five days, check if there is any new growth.

Choke Bermuda Grass Weeds

If you are still wondering how to kill Bermuda grass on the lawn, we can talk about choking it out. The best way to do it is with the help of mulching. This process will not just kill Bermuda grass but will also enrich the soil and prepare it for replanting. And there are a couple of ways to choke out Bermuda grass; the most popular option is with landscaping fabric. But if you don’t have it, you can use cardboard pieces or another similar material.

Using Fabric for Landscape to Kill Bermuda Grass

• You need to cover the turf with fabric for landscape.
• After that, pour about 8 inches of wood bark or wood chips over the fabric. 
• In about four weeks, the Bermuda grass will die because of the combination of darkness, pressure, and heat. The only thing you need to worry about is to completely cover the areas with the grass you want to remove.

Using Cardboard Pieces

You can also use cardboard for mulching as it will prevent sunlight from reaching the grass. Hence, without photosynthesis, the grass will die.

• Ideally, you should first mow the lawn to decrease the thickness of unwanted weed. 
• Add one more compost layer to encourage biological activity. 
• Then place big pieces of cardboard, so they have a two-layer thickness. 
• Wet the cardboard and add about three inch. of mulching. The area should remain like this for about four months. That would be enough for the grass to die out.

Some people also wonder whether it is possible to choke it out by plating fescue grass. Unfortunately, when you’re looking for a good Bermuda grass killer, fescue is not a good option, as they are not as heat resistant. So, when the temperature rises, Bermuda grass will dominate again. However, if you use herbicide like Fusilade II, it will promote the growth of fescues which will then choke out Bermuda grass.

Chemical Ways to Get Rid of Bermuda Grass

When it comes to killing weed, most people first think of herbicides. These are the most toxic but undeniably the quickest ways to kill Bermuda grass or other weed. For best results, you should use herbicides that contain glyphosate because they have the least residual effect. One of such products is Roundup weed killer. You apply it by spraying the leaves. And the best period for using this chemical is between spring and fall.

Another option is to use Fusilade II. Many people opt for it because it doesn’t kill other types of grass, such as zoysia grass. Ideally, you should repeat the process every month, but not too often. And if you are doing it for two consecutive years, you will significantly reduce the amount of Bermuda grass in your lawn.

Among many chemicals that exist on the market, two have proved to be super effective – Ornamec Over the Top and Turflon Ester. The chemicals in those products don’t kill only the parts on the surface but also the roots, etc. So when you look for a good way on how to kill Bermuda grass in lawn, consider these two.

Tips to Kill Bermuda Grass in Different Situations

Tips to Kill Bermuda Grass in Zoysia Lawns

Things would be much simpler if Bermuda grass would grow independently. But that is not the case, is it? So how to get rid of Bermuda grass without destroying other types like Zoysia or flowers? It is a complex and long process, we will give you that. But if you monthly apply herbicides, such as Fusilade II, you will get the results that you want. However, don’t forget that you need to apply it at a reduced rate in combination with a non-ionic surfactant to kill Bermuda grass without destroying the Zoysia lawn. As we mentioned, it’s best to do it all around, let’s say, June 1st. And in the period when the grass is actively growing, apply the product every 28 days.

How to Kill Bermuda Grass in Fescue Lawns

You don’t want weeds to invade your lawn with fescue, do you? The good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening. 

So the first thing you need to do is mow the lawn a bit higher. That way, it will be harder for sunlight to reach Bermuda grass. And as you remember, without the sun, it cannot thrive. Then just apply one of the effective herbicides we mentioned earlier.

How to Kill Bermuda Grass in Flower Beds

It is not uncommon to find Bermuda grass in the flower beds. But you don’t want it there, do you? Hence why it’s best to kill Bermuda grass in flowers, and for that:

• First, you should grab their branches and pull them in the opposite direction from the one in which they are growing. 
• Pull out the roots. 
• Cut the stolons and pull out the rhizomes.

How to Stop the Spreading of Bermuda Grass

Well, it is also possible to manually remove Bermuda grass weed. 

• To easily access to the roots, first, mow the lawn. 
• Then manually pull all the grass below the root.
• Make sure to remove all the live roots because they might spread if they stay in the soil. 
• Also, keep in mind that the process of stopping the spread of Bermuda grass can last even up to 4-5 years. Yes, it’s a while, but in the end, it will all be worth it.

Conclusion

And that’s all we wanted to share on how to get rid of Bermuda grass! The funny thing about it is that some people love it because it is resistant, while others hate it for the same reason. To remove it, bear in mind that you will have to arm yourself with patience since this is a persistent and invasive grass. It’s hard work, but once you kill Bermuda grass, your lawn will become so much more beautiful and healthy. Thus it’s a win-win for everyone!So, do you have experience in getting rid of Bermuda grass? Perhaps you also have some good Bermuda grass killer methods? Then feel free to share them in the comments below!