Re: Bermuda Grass
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Bermuda Grass
- From: N* L*
- Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 23:28:33 CST
The question was:
<<We just bought a little 5 acre farm, and I'm just itching to get my
>garden started. However, there is bermuda grass everywhere. What can
I do? >>
To which Bob replied:
>I have pretty good luck killing grass by laying lots of newspaper on
it, >at least 10 or so sheets thick, and mulching over the newspaper to
>keep it there and to look nicer. In a season, the grass will be dead
>and you can plant thru the paper.
------------------------------
Ah, but Bob, was it BERMUDA grass??!! I am of the opinion that bermuda
gras is the worst enemy of the gardener. It takes big guns to get it
(somewhat) under control, and I don't think it can ever be eradicated.
I spent hours every weekend for a month last year working up a new
flower bed. Sifted through all the dirt by hand to get the bermuda
grass roots out. And guess what's growing there so far this year...!!
And I have a raised rose bed, about 2 1/2 feet high, where it still pops
up It has an amazing knack for regenerating. If you cut a root into 5
pieces, you end up with 10 plants.
My best advice is, wait until it's growing nicely, then spray it with
round-up. Or, if you don't want to use chemicals, wet it down really
well, cover it with clear plastic, and let it cook all summer. Then,
after it looks good and dead, put down the heavy duty layers of
newspaper, as Bob suggested. And be ready to take the offensive when it
comes back, which it will.
In my experience, if you just mulch it, it kind of blanches out, but
mostly just bides it's time. As soon as the mulch breaks down enought
for it to get a little light, up it pops again. (Can you tell it's my
nemesis?) It has roots that go at least 2 feet down, and it can cut the
heck out of your hands if you try to pull it up.
Good luck!
Nancy Lowe
Arkansas, zone 7
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