# Bermuda lacking green



## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

I've lurked for a while here and finally decided to create an account to get some advice.

My house was built last year and the bermuda sod was laid mid July last year. I have just recently taken a big interest in making my lawn look it's best. It looked great all last season, but this year it has been really lacking in the color department.

I mow once every week with my rotary push mower and I just ordered a manual reel mower for the fun of it. Are there any recommendations as to what I can do to make my lawn better?

Applied weed-b-gone spray in April and just put down 24-0-11 fertilizer (unfortunately right before a monsoon). Located in North ATL Ga


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

Welcome

What height of cut are you trying to maintain? Depending on what height your trying to maintain you may have to mow more then once a week. Looks like to me it got tall and you scalped down and now your seeing the brown stems of the Bermuda.

If Bermuda gets too tall it gets leggy and kind of grows like a tree, has green on top with brown stems.

Hit with a 1lb of nitrogen every month. This time of year in ATL if your mowing only once a week and with all the rain we are having you will probably need to mow at 2.5-3". Which is not optimal height but can look decent and green.

If you want to maintain it at a lower height your going to have to mow more often.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Durso81 said:


> Welcome
> 
> What height of cut are you trying to maintain? Depending on what height your trying to maintain you may have to mow more then once a week. Looks like to me it got tall and you scalped down and now your seeing the brown stems of the Bermuda.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the response! I will start mowing more often to see if that helps.

My Home Depot just got Milorganite back in stock, should I put that down as well?


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

You can it won't hurt the lawn. But you don't have to. If you haven't read the Bermuda Bible check it out.

Bermuda Bible: The New Testament
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1651
Also check out the Bermuda triangle for weed control.

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=13

Also just a heads up. While that tree in your front yard is small you might want to get rid of it. As when it's gets bigger the Bermuda will not do good. I ended up having to change grass types in my front cause of a tree and shade.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Durso81 said:


> Also just a heads up. While that tree in your front yard is small you might want to get rid of it. As when it's gets bigger the Bermuda will not do good. I ended up having to change grass types in my front cause of a tree and shade.


You better get rid of that tree while you can. Is it an oak? Do not pass go do not collect $200. 
Trees and Bermuda don't mix . The bigger the tree gets the worse your grass will be. 
Can you take a close up of your grass blades that appear brownish? All that rain you have been having and your tall height of cut can lead to fungus.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Tellycoleman said:


> Durso81 said:
> 
> 
> > Also just a heads up. While that tree in your front yard is small you might want to get rid of it. As when it's gets bigger the Bermuda will not do good. I ended up having to change grass types in my front cause of a tree and shade.
> ...


I will start jumping through the HOA hoops now to remove the tree. Thanks to you and @Durso81 for the tip.

How should I plant grass after the tree is gone? Sod? New seed? I just want it to look the same once it grows in.

I will get some close up shots when I am home this afternoon, if there isn't a monsoon.


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

Do not do seed. Couple options.

1. Fertilize water and mow it will eventually fill in.

2. Get a plugger tool pull plugs from your good areas and put them in were the tree was.

3. By sod. Find out what type of Bermuda the builder put in. Most likely tifway being your in ga.

Yeah I would present it to the HOA as when this tree gets bigger it will shade out the Bermuda and the Bermuda will die and then your yard will look like crap. Allot of people in my neighborhood are removing there trees as there lawns look like crap and the HOA is sending out notices.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Durso81 said:


> Do not do seed. Couple options.
> 
> 1. Fertilize water and mow it will eventually fill in.
> 
> ...


I will weigh those options while I work to get it approved through the HOA(30 day process and have to get all neighbors to agree). I'm leaning more towards the first two options since I have such a difficult time getting sod leveled on this red GA clay.


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## Jacob_S (May 22, 2018)

Unless HOA states there must be a tree you should be good to remove without approval in my mind.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Jacob_S said:


> Unless HOA states there must be a tree you should be good to remove without approval in my mind.


I agree, but I would rather follow their process no matter how pointless it is, than get a fine. I give them enough money as it is :lol:


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## Jacob_S (May 22, 2018)

Haha, I can relate, I've gotten quite a few fines over the past couple years.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

I guess I can get out there at midnight with a headlamp on... If they can't prove that I removed it, then I can't be fined. Right?


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Well if "All of a sudden" ( wink wink) the tree happens to start looking sick and ugly. They would be glad you removed it. 
Gosh Mr HOA man. I don't know what happened to my tree ( wink wink). Do you think I should just remove it?


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

Tellycoleman said:


> Well if "All of a sudden" ( wink wink) the tree happens to start looking sick and ugly. They would be glad you removed it.
> Gosh Mr HOA man. I don't know what happened to my tree ( wink wink). Do you think I should just remove it?


 :thumbup: Strangest thing.

Call Harvey Updyke for advice.


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## Smokindog (Jun 20, 2018)

+1 on the Bermuda Bible
+1 on eliminating the tree


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## dtillman5 (Jul 20, 2017)

HOA's: The modern equivalent of a Third Reich training ground. In my neighborhood if someone wants to be on the HOA then they are the wrong person IMO. Can you tell I really don't like HOA's.. oh the stories I could tell...


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

You wouldn't hurt it at all if you put down some higher N content fertilizer, with at least 0.75-1#N/M. It's regular practice for bermuda owners to use that much N per month on their lawns. What you have to keep in mind is that the condition of the turf is telling you exactly what is going on. Is it starved of nutrition? Are there insects? Too much water? It's a marathon, and not a sprint, but in this instance, it looks like you need to give your grass some more food.

Another thing is to check the condition of the grass blades, after you mow. How much leaf tissue do you see above the soil surface? Similar to what @Durso81 said, you might need to bring that total lawn surface down (scalp it) and let it grow back up to your maintenance HOC. What you're seeing is likely the stalks of the grass, as it's gotten pretty leggy, and you're cutting off the leaf tissue.

It's warm enough here that if you scalp it, it'll be recovered in a few weeks, and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Welcome to TLF, glad you found us! :thumbup:


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Here are some close ups of the brown patches. You can even see some of the milo I put down if you look close


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Colonel K0rn said:


> You wouldn't hurt it at all if you put down some higher N content fertilizer, with at least 0.75-1#N/M. It's regular practice for bermuda owners to use that much N per month on their lawns. What you have to keep in mind is that the condition of the turf is telling you exactly what is going on. Is it starved of nutrition? Are there insects? Too much water? It's a marathon, and not a sprint, but in this instance, it looks like you need to give your grass some more food.
> 
> Another thing is to check the condition of the grass blades, after you mow. How much leaf tissue do you see above the soil surface? Similar to what @Durso81 said, you might need to bring that total lawn surface down (scalp it) and let it grow back up to your maintenance HOC. What you're seeing is likely the stalks of the grass, as it's gotten pretty leggy, and you're cutting off the leaf tissue.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice! I put down a healthy dose of milo and I'm going to cut it low this afternoon


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Turftoe

That to me looks like thatch and the bottom portion of the "crown" of bermuda where if it gets too long it will turn brown/dead. If the turf is established and you haven't, scalp really low to try and cut away as much of that dead/brown plant material as possible. That way when it grows back there will be more green.


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2018)

That last set of photos has got some wider blade stuff. Any possibility it's mixed with centipede or st Augustine?


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

firefighter11 said:


> That last set of photos has got some wider blade stuff. Any possibility it's mixed with centipede or st Augustine?


Not that I'm aware of. The builder put the sod down this time last year and I'm not sure what type of bermuda exactly. I do know that I have several spots that look like tall fescue coming through, but I'm not 100% sure. I might post those in the Weed ID thread tomorrow to get some other opinions.


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## Guest (Jul 1, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> firefighter11 said:
> 
> 
> > That last set of photos has got some wider blade stuff. Any possibility it's mixed with centipede or st Augustine?
> ...


Just for kicks when you do, grab a stolon from the plant and share it also. That can go a long way do iD


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

firefighter11 said:


> Turftoe said:
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> > firefighter11 said:
> ...


Here you go. I have several patches of this around the yard and weed killer doesn't seem to phase it. Looks like a tall fescue to me, but I don't know much.


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## driver_7 (Jun 28, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> firefighter11 said:
> 
> 
> > Turftoe said:
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Looks like the same stuff I keep finding in my yard. Matured into what I could identify (in all my newb-Googling ability) as goosegrass, but I'll defer to the experts for positive identification.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

kur1j said:


> @Turftoe
> 
> That to me looks like thatch and the bottom portion of the "crown" of bermuda where if it gets too long it will turn brown/dead. If the turf is established and you haven't, scalp really low to try and cut away as much of that dead/brown plant material as possible. That way when it grows back there will be more green.


+1. Set the mower to the second lowest notch unless your lawn is perfectly flat, in which case you could do the lowest notch.

Then do a really good job raking all of the brown crap (thatch) out of there. Then, apply some fertilizer and water.

What you may be seeing is just the crowns, so after a few days your grass is green, and then you cut and it's brown again.


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## raldridge2315 (Jul 1, 2017)

SCGrassMan said:


> kur1j said:
> 
> 
> > @Turftoe
> ...


...... and sharpen that mower blade.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Every year whether it needs it or not! Lol


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Just bought a manual reel mower and tried it out today, so I should be good as far as sharp blades. I think its slowly starting to green up, or at least I hope. I have thought about aerating next week and picking up the cores. Just to break down the thatch and compaction. I would like to aerate in the spring as well and put a couple of tons of sand to level everything out. Any thoughts?


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## Darrell (Mar 22, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> Just bought a manual reel mower and tried it out today, so I should be good as far as sharp blades. I think its slowly starting to green up, or at least I hope. I have thought about aerating next week and picking up the cores. Just to break down the thatch and compaction. I would like to aerate in the spring as well and put a couple of tons of sand to level everything out. Any thoughts?


How did the manual reel work out? Was it hard to push?


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Darrell said:


> Turftoe said:
> 
> 
> > Just bought a manual reel mower and tried it out today, so I should be good as far as sharp blades. I think its slowly starting to green up, or at least I hope. I have thought about aerating next week and picking up the cores. Just to break down the thatch and compaction. I would like to aerate in the spring as well and put a couple of tons of sand to level everything out. Any thoughts?
> ...


It hung up in spots that were unlevel, it really showed me how bumpy my lawn is. But other than that it worked flawlessly. Gave a few stripes in places, but here are some pics


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## fp_911 (Apr 10, 2017)

I used to have a manual reel as well but found that once the grass thickens up it actually would hover over the lawn instead of cut it. That's what drove me to purchase a greens mower as they're really heavy and eliminate that issue.

But while it did work I really enjoyed my manual reel as it was quiet and a decent workout at the same time.


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

@Tellycoleman@Durso81

I got that tree removed, now it's time to see how long it takes for the grass to take over :thumbup:


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

That's a helluva lot of grass to mow with a manual anything, especially a small reel. More power to you.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

@Turftoe I would not just wait for it to fill in. I wouldn't edge for a week or two and use the sprigs and put it in the spot. A pro plugger would be your best option to get it to spread like crazy. That way you will have bermuda from the outside spreading in and from inside the circle spreading out.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Consider a bed of sorts around that utility box, plant an Ornamental Grass: Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' for example to hide the box...just an idea.

If you need small amounts of sod, pikes sells tifftuff sod that is isn't dried out (like h despot)


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## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> @[email protected]
> 
> I got that tree removed, now it's time to see how long it takes for the grass to take over :thumbup:


 :thumbup:


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> Consider a bed of sorts around that utility box, plant an Ornamental Grass: Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' for example to hide the box...just an idea.
> 
> If you need small amounts of sod, pikes sells tifftuff sod that is isn't dried out (like h despot)


So plant on top of the utility box?


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> jayhawk said:
> 
> 
> > Consider a bed of sorts around that utility box, plant an Ornamental Grass: Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' for example to hide the box...just an idea.
> ...


Never mind. I thought you were talking about the meter cover on the right. I won't plant sod on the utility box :lol:


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

Just as an experiment, Pick out a 10 ft x 10 spot and put down a good 1/2 inch of compost/rich top soil right on top of your bermuda spots in those last pictures .I am willing to bet it will look awesome in 2-3 weeks, with proper watering if you arent getting no rain.


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> firefighter11 said:
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> 
> > Turftoe said:
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I am pretty sure this is some kind of wild rye grass. It spreads fast and really grows aggressively in early spring when the bermuda is dormant..It looks bad because you will have unwanted patches of green in your beige bermuda in march - april, you will also have to pull the mower out earlier because of this stuff.I have it too 
Right now its hard to notice because its all green, well at least my bermuda is :mrgreen:


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Looks like a sedge to me... but haven't read thru the whole thread.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Sedges are triangular


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

RandyMan said:


> Turftoe said:
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> > firefighter11 said:
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That makes a lot of sense being a rye grass. Is there anything that will kill the rye and not affect the bermuda?


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

Turftoe said:


> RandyMan said:
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> > Turftoe said:
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I may be wrong on the rye grass because I just read rye grass dies in the intense heat.

I know in the winter months when the bermuda is completely dormant you can use round up..Problem is most of the time you wont notice this stuff until it starts to warm up in spring, then it just takes off.Thats when the bermuda is coming out of dormancy, So I was scared to use round up.Can you post your pic in the weed ID thread? Maybe someone could give us an idea what it is and what to use on it


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## Turftoe (Jun 28, 2018)

@RandyMan yeah I posted it there, but didn't get much feedback. I may mark the spots and use round up when the bermuda goes dormant. I'm out of ideas at this point :roll:


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