Bermudagrass Seed - Bermudagrass Seed|Bermuda Grass Seed|Bermudagrass Seeds for lawn, pasture and turf seeding.

Bermudagrass Advantages
Bermudagrass produces a vigorous, medium green, dense turf that is well adapted to most soils and climates found in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona and Southern California. Bermuda grass has excellent wear, drought, and salt tolerance. Bermuda grass establishes rapidly and is able to out-compete most weed species. It is readily available as sod or plugs, and some improved cultivars are available as seeded varieties.

Bermudagrass Disadvantages
Improved bermudagrass seed varieties require high levels of maintenance. They have poor tolerance to many insect, disease, and nematode pests, which limits their use in home lawn sites. They grow very aggressively from stolons (above-ground stems) and rhizomes (below-ground stems) and can rapidly invade flower and landscape beds. This aggressive growth also fosters thatch buildup. Bermudagrasses generally have poor to medium cold tolerance and relatively poor shade tolerance. Since bermudagrass performs best with higher levels of fertilizers and chemicals than other lawngrasses, a professional lawn care company may best handle maintenance of this

species.

Lawn & Turf Bermudagrass Seed - Yukon Bermudagrass, Princess 77 Bermudagrass, Riviera Bermudagrass, LaPaloma Bermudagrass, Majestic Bermudagrass, Blackjack Bermudagrass, LaPrima Bermudagrass and Other Bermudagrass Varieties

These newer seeded varieties have a darker green color, deeper roots, more shoot density, and a less coarse leaf texture than other bermudagrass varieties. These varieties are suited for lawns, sports turf and parks where a low growing high quality turf is desired.

Forage, Pasture and Hay Type Bermuda Grass Seed - Wrangler Bermudagrass, Ranchero Frio Bermudagrass, Cheyenne II Bermudagrass, Morhay Bermudagrass, Pasto Rico Bermudagrass , Giant Bermudagrass and many other Bermudagrass Foragevarieties. Forage and Pasture varieties of Bermudagrass produce an extensive root system that provides some drought tolerance. Bermudagrasses responds well to nitrogen fertilization and produces a large quantity of dry matter for either grazing or hay production when soil moisture is not limiting. Hybrid bermudagrasses are popular for hay production because they are responsive to nitrogen fertilizer, have a high yield potential and are relatively fast drying. Bermudagrass makes good use of

animal manures and, if well fertilized, gives high animal weight gains per acre.

Maintenance of Bermudagrass Lawns

Bermudagrass - New Seeding
Prepare the soil by tilling to a depth of 4-6 inches. Conduct a soil test to be sure

your soil has the proper nutrients it needs for a healthy lawn. Apply fertilizer and lime at the recommended rates. If you are unable to conduct a soil test, apply lime and a complete lawn fertilizer according to the recommended rates on the packages. Work lime and fertilizer evenly into the soil, then rake the soil surface smooth to give the seed an ideal bed in which to establish healthy roots. Sow the grass seed by evenly spreading according to the recommended seeding rates. Rake, harrow, or otherwise work the seed into the soil 1/4’” to 1/2” deep. Keep the area well watered until the seed germinate and the seedlings have grown sufficiently to establish a lawn, then water as needed.

Bermudagrass: Overseeding or Re-Seeding - Before overseeding Bermuda Bermudagrass_Lawn_Seed

Grass, it is important to prepare the soil. Conduct a soil test to be sure your lawn has the proper balance of nutrients. Fertilize and lime if needed. Mow or clip the existing grass as closely as possible. Remove clippings and rake, harrow lightly, or aerate the soil where there is existing lawn. This will allow the new seed to make contact with the soil. Sow the seed and gently rake to cover. Keep the lawn moist until seedlings are established, then water as needed.

Undesirable Lawns

Rid your lawn of undesirable grasses following the steps below so that you can establish a desirable lawn:

During any growing season, spray the established undesirable turf with a non-selective herbicide labeled for lawn use. Follow the directions on the label.
After the lawn turns brown, continue with your seeding program as outlined above. Be sure to start with a soil test or a complete lawn fertilizer.

Improving Bermudagrass Bare Spots
Mow your lawn closely, then remove leaves, dead grass, etc. Rake, harrow lightly, or aerate the bare spots to prepare the seedbed. Conduct a soil test to be sure the soil has the proper balance of nutrients. Fertilize and lime if needed.

Fertilizing Bermudagrass Lawns

Proper fertilization of any lawngrass is an important component of the best management practices for your home lawn. Fertilization and other cultural practices can influence the overall health and quality of your lawn and will reduce its vulnerability to numerous stresses, including weeds, insects, and disease.
It is advisable for homeowners to have soil tests done annually. Your local Cooperative Extension Service office has recommendations and bags for taking soil samples and submitting them to the Extension Soil Testing Lab for analysis. In particular, phosphorous levels are best determined by soil testing. Since many Florida soils are high in phosphorous, little or no phosphorous may be needed for satisfactory lawn growth.

Maintaining a good-quality bermudagrass turf requires a properly planned fertilization program. Fertilizer timing and amounts for bermudagrass are based largely on the turf use. Generally, bermudagrasses require higher levels of fertilizer than other warm-season grasses for acceptable growth, durability, and appearance. Bermudagrasses can be maintained at moderate maintenance levels in areas such as lawns, athletic fields, or golf course fairways.

In general, two weeks following spring regrowth, apply a complete fertilizer such as 16-4-8 at the rate of ½ (water-soluble) to 1 (slow-release) pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. The

three numbers refer to the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively. For example, a 50-pound bag of 16-4-8 contains 16% nitrogen or 8 pounds total nitrogen. This bag will fertilize 8000 square feet at the rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

Fertilizer should be applied to bermudagrass in three to seven applications from spring green-up through fall. Do not apply nitrogen too early in the growing season, particularly in North Florida, or subsequent frosts may damage the grass. Likewise, don't fertilize too late in the year, as this can slow regrowth the following spring. If applying water-soluble forms at the lower application rate, it will take more applications to apply the total amount of fertilizer needed for the year than if applying a slow-release fertilizer form.

Mowing Bermudagrass Lawns
Proper mowing practices are necessary to keep any lawn healthy and attractive. Both height and frequency of cut need to be adjusted for the level of turf management and season of the year. Under low to moderate levels of management, bermudagrass should be cut at a height of ¾ to 1½ inches, which may require mowing one to three times per week. Common bermudagrass should be mowed at the highest recommended heights. This will help the grass develop a deep root system and give it a better appearance. Under higher levels of management, bermudagrass can be maintained at a height of ½ inch if the turf is mowed daily during the growing season. Mowing at this height and frequency requires more fertilizer and water to maintain an attractive and durable turf. It should be noted that low cutting heights and high maintenance levels predispose the turf to many weed and pest problems. Under low to moderate management practices, mowing frequency should be adjusted to the amount of growth. Remove no more than 1/3 of the total leaf blade with any mowing.
A reel mower is preferred for cutting bermudagrass. This gives a cleaner cut, and these mowers can also be more accurately adjusted to low heights. In a home lawn situation, a rotary mower may be used if the blades are sharp and well-adjusted to get a clean, smooth cut and if the cutting height is high enough for the mower. Grass clippings can be left on turf maintained with low to moderate fertility levels if mowed at the proper height and frequency. The clippings do not contribute to thatch, and they provide supplemental sources of nutrients. Remove the clippings only if the amount is so excessive that clumps form, or if appearance is important.

Watering Bermudagrass Lawns
An established bermudagrass turf should be watered as needed. Irrigation is needed when leaf blades begin to fold up, to actually wilt, to turn blue-gray in color, or when footprints remain visible after walking on the grass. Apply ¾ to 1 inch of water per application. This will apply water to roughly the top 8 inches of soil, where the majority of the roots are. To determine how much water a sprinkler system is providing, place several coffee cans throughout the irrigation zones to find out how long it takes to apply this amount of water. This is how long your irrigation system should run for each application. During prolonged droughts, bermudagrass may go dormant if it does not receive irrigation. The grass will turn brown and stop growing during this dormant period, but it will revive and resume growth upon irrigation with sufficient amounts of water.

Courtesy of http://turf.ufl.edu/

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