# Bermuda to Bluemuda Lawn Journal



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

I've put off starting this journal too long now and so I'm finally doing it. I'm starting with the converstion of my yard from a 419 Tifway Bermuda yard to to a Bluemuda yard. This past Spring I did test a few spots in the front yard with some KBG to see how it would fare in the summer heat and most of it made it through okay. So last month I did the full scalp, verticut and overseed with 50 lbs or Barenbrug HGT KBG seed. Seed went down September 12th, had germination on the 22nd and I'm mowing stripes by October 10th. I'm going to back post some pictures from the last month in order here and then try to keep things up to date moving forward. 



These pictures are from August before prep was done for seeding. I was mowing at .8" (or I should say Junior, the Automower, was mowing at .8").


Had germination across the yard on September 22nd, 10 days after seeding.


Close up on September 29th showing mix of bermuda and KBG.


First mowing on September 29th. Shaggy but filling in.




Added the Toro Striping Kit and mowed at 1.5". It looks shaggy up close but is striping up nicely. At some point I do plan to put the Automower back to work and get my HOC back down to .8" to maintain but the Stripes are fun for now.


----------



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

Mowed yesterday at 1.25", down from 1.5". Much smoother cut but stripes not showing up as well. Now that the KBG is doing well I need to address a few weeds. I need to find something to spray that's safe on bermuda and KBG. I think Reellowdad mentioned something he uesed. I'll have to look back. May try to go down to 1" next week and maintain there until spring. The area I filled in to level out a dip is firming up nicely so I hope to allow the Automower back on the front lawn soon. No more stripes at that point but it will looked freshly mowed everyday.


----------



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

Mowed at 1.25" with the Toro Striper Kit. Probably the last time for a while with the Toro rotary mower. Got "Junior" (automower) cleaned up and new blades and sent him out mowing at 30mm (1.18") after I took pictures of stripes. Even though the automower mowes random with no stripes, the cut is so clean and even it's worth it. I'll post some pictures in a couple of days after Junior has everything nice and even. The look is much tighter and uniform with the automower and the bluegrass and bermuda blend together much better to create that bluemuda look. I plan to go down to 25mm soon and then to 20mm in the spring. 20mm is the lowest setting on the automower without installing a fairway kit, which I might do next spring after the next leveling. I think the lowest setting is 10mm with the fairway kit.


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

@JSC1964 lawn is looking great! The bluegrass is really coming through. What are your current temps?


----------



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

@Wiley , our temps are still warm, lows in upper 50's to low 60's and highs all the way up to 80 some days. I wish I had set the bermuda back more with growth regulator when I seeded. At that time it was cool and the bermuda had slowed quite a bit but now its growing fast and it's out of regulation. I'm stuck between if I mow down to 1" then I'm getting that brown stem look from the bermuda but I get a nice even cut and the bluegrass blends in so well; or I mow up at 1.25 and the bluegrass shows through better and hides any brown spots but the look is a little shaggy. I'm hoping for some cooler weather soon and I may do a reset cut at .75 to lower the bermuda for winter and then maintain at 1'" to let the bluegrass dominate for color.


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

JSC1964 said:


> @Wiley , our temps are still warm, lows in upper 50's to low 60's and highs all the way up to 80 some days. I wish I had set the bermuda back more with growth regulator when I seeded. At that time it was cool and the bermuda had slowed quite a bit but now its growing fast and it's out of regulation. I'm stuck between if I mow down to 1" then I'm getting that brown stem look from the bermuda but I get a nice even cut and the bluegrass blends in so well; or I mow up at 1.25 and the bluegrass shows through better and hides any brown spots but the look is a little shaggy. I'm hoping for some cooler weather soon and I may do a reset cut at .75 to lower the bermuda for winter and then maintain at 1'" to let the bluegrass dominate for color.


Thanks for the info. It seems like there is a little balancing act with the hoc right now as the grasses are in transition. I've got a similar project going and I'm still seeing decent growth with the Bermuda. I have a good amount of kbg but it is definitely not growing as fast. I think your hoc plan sounds good.


----------



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

Had to pick up the leaves with the toro so I figured I'd put down some stripes while I was at it. Had the yard looking good for all the trick or treat Dads walking with the kids last night. The automower is back in the yard today so the stripes will be gone but the Bluemuda is looking great.


----------



## dslab (Oct 18, 2017)

How did the Bluemuda look throughout winter? How did the Bermuda transition back to full force this spring-summer? Also, I am really close to pulling the trigger on an automower? Are you still happy with yours? Sorry for yet another question, are you finding it difficult to find a post-emergent herbicide that works on both the bermuda and the KBG?


----------



## ccomp83 (May 27, 2020)

@JSC1964 i saw your original post on the bluemuda. i wanted to check in to see how this year went? Did you bermuda come back in the summer? are you still maintaining a 1.25" HOC? what issues did you see this year so far?

Any do's and don'ts you want to share? im very interested in doing KBG this coming fall. Also which KBG seed did you use?

Thanks in advance!


----------



## needtoknow (Oct 3, 2020)

Considering doing bluemuda at a new house when I move.

How has it been over the past year?


----------



## JSC1964 (Apr 19, 2019)

needtoknow said:


> Considering doing bluemuda at a new house when I move.
> 
> How has it been over the past year?


Sorry for delayed reply. I would say the bluemuda is a success so far. I had a lot of blue grass make it through the summer and now with cooler weather it is showing up all over the yard. I did just put down another 15 lbs of KBG seed to supplement what is there.

My issue now is I want to get back to low mowing between .5 and .75 inches HOC. It will be interesting if the KBG will handle it. If it doesn't then I'll go back to just 419 Bermuda. I had originally gone to bluemuda because of some weak areas in the bermuda due to shade and slope. But I've cut down the main tree causing shade so that issue is gone.


----------

