# Bermuda / rye in New England?



## kbob11 (Oct 11, 2019)

Hi everyone,
I've been watching GCI Turf videos about his Bermuda lawn that he overseeds with rye. I'm just wondering, has anyone ever tried it up north? Would it be possible / worth it? I was thinking of trying it on a small patch of my yard and seeing if I could keep it green all year.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Uconn has been experimenting with Bermuda for at least a decade. The results are mixed. Some years have warmer Winters and it does ok, but other years there is a lot of Winterkill, and then it has to re-spread which can take the entire season and might need help from plug transplants.

Over time though, cold hardy varieties are tending to get more cold tolerant so it's possible they will be feasible eventually, especially as the average Winter temps increase over time due to USDA zone creep.

There was someone on another site a couple of years ago who had a cold tolerant Bermuda near Philadelphia, and it was making it through the Winters and greened up between April and May.

I think Zoysia will be more feasible in our climate and its use continue increasing, but eventually, Bluemuda mixes may see limited use. I have mixed feelings. Bermuda can be quite invasive, and we are lucky it's not naturalized here right now.

Bermuda alone will not stay green all year though, let alone if it survives. Neither will ryegrass stay green all year...it stops growing sometime between now and Christmas.

In short, it's not time yet. Maybe never. Bermuda comes with lots of compromises.

I would look at UConn's articles for more info.


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## timmybluegrass (Oct 19, 2020)

Green said:


> Bermuda alone will not stay green all year though, let alone if it survives. Neither will ryegrass stay green all year...it stops growing sometime between now and Christmas.


This is the key point to me. The whole reason for planting rye over bermuda is to have a lively, green law 52 weeks a year. That is simply not going to happen in Massachusetts no matter what type of grass you have.


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## jcs43920 (Jun 3, 2019)

I'm in northeast, Ohio and I have a neighbor that has half of his lawn Bermuda. I was walking through the neighborhood and asked him about it. He said he was on vacation in Florida and they had a giant bag of Bermuda seed on sale so he bought it because he was tired of his yard getting burnt up in the summer. His yard is a tan color all the way up until late May. It does hold up better than the unirrigated cool season mix lawns beside him.


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## osuturfman (Aug 12, 2017)

Bermuda in Ohio with 7 lb/M rye overseeded about one month before these pics on October 30, 2020. 46 games (football and soccer) leading up to this last and final game of the season.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

osuturfman said:


> Bermuda in Ohio with 7 lb/M rye overseeded about one month before these pics on October 30, 2020. 46 games (football and soccer) leading up to this last and final game of the season.


Nice!! Definitely will keep watching these types of plantings.


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## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

Looking in my organic lawn book, Bermuda is rated down to Zone 7. You're in 6A - same as I.

If you're looking for a warm season grass you can grow in our zone, zoysia is your best choice.

As far as mixing warm and cool season grasses, tall fescue might be a good choice to mix with. Though keep in mind zoysia is just as invasive as Bermuda and will probably smother any cool season grasses mixed in.


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## timmybluegrass (Oct 19, 2020)

@osuturfman, that looks awesome. I've really enjoyed learning about this project on your podcast and think it is very cool how you are pushing the Transition Zone north.


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