Bermuda Guide: Yearly Maintenance Program

The Yearly Maintenance Program

In this section of the guide we're talking about the basics of what to do every year to maintain your bermuda lawn.  These are the core applications and the approximate time of the year to be implementing them.

If necessary you can consult the Bermuda Tools page to understand the fertilizer, herbicide, and soil conditioners we're using.  If you need a more aggressive intervention for the lawn, consider the Rescue Program. If you're ready for a complete restart of the core lawn, look at the Deep Start Program.

Stage 1

Stage 1 happens during the late February and the month of March in my zone. Stage 1 is all about lawn clean-up and applying pre-emergent. 

March in this area is a conflicted month.  We may have 50 F highs with nights below freezing followed by days with highs in the 70s, and everything looking like its about to burst out in Spring.  During those balmy days, you will feel pressure to get out into the yard and do something, to try to get a jump on your lawn.  The truth is that other than your pre-emergent program, its just too early to apply much.

Instead, March is the right month to clean up after the winter.  Its time to clear the lawn of residual winter leaves or branches fallen from the trees.  Time to cut in the edges of the lawn and clear the weeds from the seams in the sidewalks and joints in the pavement..  Time to patrol the fence lines and cut down the climbing vines and rake away the piled leaves and debris.  Get out the trimmer and cut around the garden beds and along the fence and the base of the house.  

Based on my experience, these are the jobs I find myself doing in late winter while all the vegetation is still mostly dormant.  If I wait until April to get this done, the job itself is much more difficult;  the vegetation obscures everything and the volume you have to deal with is much greater.  Also, depending on the state of the property, these might be tasks that need to happen over time.  Don't be hesitant to go back a second and third time to get everything cleaned up.

Last week of February:  Put out pre-emergent herbicide during the last week of February.  This is the first application of the year.  Combine with a 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer and Biochar soil conditioner at the same time.  In this area, Bermuda is still dormant but you are preventing weeds that might respond to warm temperatures from getting a foothold in the lawn.

During March, with enough warm days, it will be time to mow the lawn at least once, and possibly more.   The bermuda grass will still be dormant, but the ryegrass and weeds will have started growing and should be kept short.  

Third week of March.  Apply a liquid pre-emergent herbicide with an herbicide. This is a second pre-emergent treatment.  Doc recommends: Bioadvanced 100534368 Selective Herbicide, 29 oz (Season Long Weed Control for Lawns)

 

Stage 2

April 

It isn't until the middle of April that Bermuda grass begins to green up.  Temperatures about 65 F consistently.  But I have perennial Ryegrass mixed in my lawn that will start growing earlier. 

It's too early for a full fertilizer application, but this is a perfect time for liquid fertilizer in a spray tank.   

Super Juice:  I use miracle gro at 1 Tbsp/ Gal, plus a kelp supplement, mixed in the tank as a foliar spray. I apply 2 gallons every 500 sq ft.   Put this down every 1- 2 weeks .

1 application of BioChar.

The focus of April in the lawn is in training your turf.  Find the correct height and keep all the grass at that height.  Continue to use an edger on the concrete borders to train the grass to grow within its boundaries.

 

Stage 3

May - June

Fertilizer:  First weekend in May, switch to a lawn fertilizer  16-0-8 .   Use this every 6 weeks.  

Weeds:  Assess the weeds in your lawn.  For just a few weeds, spot treat those weed locations.  If you still have major weeds in the lawn, apply a pre-emergent as well. Finally, consider a Rescue program if you see a lot of weeds.

Specialized treatments:  If you have a rainy season, watch out for fungus. Preventive treatment at Lowes or PRO DG Fungicide

Mowing: Cut the lawn every 5-7 days.  Cut it a 1.5"

• You can't skip a week.
• Sometimes you may need to cut the front yard more than once a week.

Stage 4

July and August

 

Fertilizer:  Apply lawn fertilizer in the beginning of July, then skip August.

Watering: Make sure the lawn gets 1" of water per week.  Watch for dry periods. If it doesn't rain, you may have to water. 

 

Weeds: Spot treat weeds in July.  Too hot for Rescue Program in August
 

Stage 5

September - October

Fertilizer:  Resume lawn fertilizer (24-0-6) on September 1

 

In September and October, multiple treatments of fertilizer will try to re-establish a strong Bermuda base for next spring.  The fertilizers could be granular (PGF complete) and liquid (miracle grow lawn with kelp booster.

 

A single annual application of Organic fertilizer to build the soil:  Chicken feed, Alfalfa pellets.  

Weeds:  Early September - last chance for Rescue Program.

Final treatment of pre-emergent Barricade.

 

Mowing: Let the height of the lawn come up to 2" to overwinter.