Control/Kill Bermuda Grass in Fescue Lawn

#51
#51
Coug said:
Lol.

Zoysia is an extraordinarily invasive species of grass. You'd better really like it before you put ANY in your yard because you aren't getting rid of it without some extraordinary effort.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have it. A friend bought lots of plugs for his yard and added more each year. It hasn't spread nearly as fast as he hoped. He was led to believe if he put a 3" square plug in every square foot it would fill in the rest in 5 years. Not even close and he's plugged several years. Stays dormant and brown in the cold months nearly as long as bermuda. I like my front yard to be green, so I'd still have to overseed in the fall. I like a lot of Bermuda in the back yard because I like to hit golf balls. When I mess up 1 area I can move to another and a week later the first area is grown back in. I know Zoysia spreads. I find it hard to believe it could repair any quicker than Bermuda. I spend about 8 hours some falls overseeding my front yard (it doesn't need it every year)and the only time I water is when I overseed. It stays green year round.

But I'd still like to see a pic of his wonder grass in his yard:)
 
#52
#52
If any of you guys need some grass destroyed, my dog hank is available for rent. One urination event is guaranteed to kill off 2 square feet of vegetation. I have pics of my back yard for conformation.
 
#53
#53
larjoranj said:
I wouldn't have it. A friend bought lots of plugs for his yard and added more each year. It hasn't spread nearly as fast as he hoped. He was led to believe if he put a 3" square plug in every square foot it would fill in the rest in 5 years. Not even close and he's plugged several years. Stays dormant and brown in the cold months nearly as long as bermuda. I like my front yard to be green, so I'd still have to overseed in the fall. I like a lot of Bermuda in the back yard because I like to hit golf balls. When I mess up 1 area I can move to another and a week later the first area is grown back in. I know Zoysia spreads. I find it hard to believe it could repair any quicker than Bermuda. I spend about 8 hours some falls overseeding my front yard (it doesn't need it every year)and the only time I water is when I overseed. It stays green year round.

But I'd still like to see a pic of his wonder grass in his yard:)
Click to expand...
There are many different varieties of Zoysia.................Emerald, Zeon, Amazoy, Zenith, Empire, etc . Some do much better than others. There are also some decent varieties of Bermuda grass, which are far superior to common Bermuda that everybody has. One needs to do their homework.
 
#54
#54
1972 Grad said:
There are many different varieties of Zoysia.................Emerald, Zeon, Amazoy, Zenith, Empire, etc . Some do much better than others. There are also some decent varieties of Bermuda grass, which are far superior to common Bermuda that everybody has. One needs to do their homework.
Click to expand...

Meyers and Palestine are my favorites.
 
#56
#56
1972 Grad said:
I think that Amazoy that I mentioned is somebody's brand of Meyers. Zoysia generally does better in well drained soil too. Clay may not be the best soil for it.
Click to expand...

We payed 94 pallets of Palestine a couple weeks ago. It looks great.

My next home will have it.
 
#57
#57
larjoranj said:
I wouldn't have it. A friend bought lots of plugs for his yard and added more each year. It hasn't spread nearly as fast as he hoped. He was led to believe if he put a 3" square plug in every square foot it would fill in the rest in 5 years. Not even close and he's plugged several years. Stays dormant and brown in the cold months nearly as long as bermuda. I like my front yard to be green, so I'd still have to overseed in the fall. I like a lot of Bermuda in the back yard because I like to hit golf balls. When I mess up 1 area I can move to another and a week later the first area is grown back in. I know Zoysia spreads. I find it hard to believe it could repair any quicker than Bermuda. I spend about 8 hours some falls overseeding my front yard (it doesn't need it every year)and the only time I water is when I overseed. It stays green year round.

But I'd still like to see a pic of his wonder grass in his yard:)
Click to expand...

The other thing is if you want Zoysia and your lot is next to a neighbor who cares about his fescue lawn, you're literally going to start a turf war. That stuff will creep.
 
#58
#58
Guy that works for Scott's here in NW Arkansas has Fescue, and he put landscaping between his lot and the neighbors on 3 sides of him to keep the Bermuda out

It's by far the best looking yard in the neighborhood...
 
#59
#59
larjoranj said:
I wouldn't have it. A friend bought lots of plugs for his yard and added more each year. It hasn't spread nearly as fast as he hoped. He was led to believe if he put a 3" square plug in every square foot it would fill in the rest in 5 years. Not even close and he's plugged several years. Stays dormant and brown in the cold months nearly as long as bermuda. I like my front yard to be green, so I'd still have to overseed in the fall. I like a lot of Bermuda in the back yard because I like to hit golf balls. When I mess up 1 area I can move to another and a week later the first area is grown back in. I know Zoysia spreads. I find it hard to believe it could repair any quicker than Bermuda. I spend about 8 hours some falls overseeding my front yard (it doesn't need it every year)and the only time I water is when I overseed. It stays green year round.

But I'd still like to see a pic of his wonder grass in his yard:)
Click to expand...

Zoysia doesn't grow fast, but once established it is unbeatable.

Your friend likely has some major soil issues or didnt water properly. Once established zoysia requires litle watering if any. But does need it to get it going. With the wet year we've had, mine has spread like crazy. Over 5 years I've seen it spread over 20 feet into areas where none was plugged.

So, how fast it grows depends on soil conditions and early watering.

I plugged every foot and have areas that within a year have filled in solid. Others much slower.

Zoysia doesn't repair as quick as Bermuda, but doesn't need repair as much. You can cut short or tall wothiut browning it.

Mine is brown from November through Mid March. You don't seed rye like you do Bermuda as it is so dense it won't look right. One walk over a zoysia lawn will change your mind.
 
Last edited:
#60
#60
1972 Grad said:
I think that Amazoy that I mentioned is somebody's brand of Meyers. Zoysia generally does better in well drained soil too. Clay may not be the best soil for it.
Click to expand...

I've got clay and the zoysia has no problem. In fact it does to recondition the soil. I'm sure it would spread faster in a sandy soil.
 
#61
#61
New question: I didn't get the fescue to sprout this spring in the areas of the lawn destroyed by our pool-building process. I think I'm going to just bite the bullet and sod this fall (c 1500 sf). Before laying the sod, I'm assuming I need to kill the weeds and Bermuda that have pretty much covered those areas in just 3-4 months. Is one good treatment of Round Up sufficient? Then wait a few days and scratch it up with a tiller?
 
  • Like
Reactions: golfballs
#63
#63
1972 Grad said:
I think that Amazoy that I mentioned is somebody's brand of Meyers. Zoysia generally does better in well drained soil too. Clay may not be the best soil for it.
Click to expand...

I'm in Mid TN. Zenith and Meyer seem to do the best here. I've tried multiple types. Watch out for thatch.
 
#64
#64
kiddiedoc said:
New question: I didn't get the fescue to sprout this spring in the areas of the lawn destroyed by our pool-building process. I think I'm going to just bite the bullet and sod this fall (c 1500 sf). Before laying the sod, I'm assuming I need to kill the weeds and Bermuda that have pretty much covered those areas in just 3-4 months. Is one good treatment of Round Up sufficient? Then wait a few days and scratch it up with a tiller?
Click to expand...
Did you seed it in spring? What seed name was used & where'd you buy em. Seeds by the pound or 50# bag from a Co-Op type place or wholesaler are better. Scott’s seeds from HD or Lowes are junk. I always used a seed called 5 Star & had great results. A nice tin blade turf fescue. You don’t want a field fescue seed.

Fall is the best time for planting fescue. Seeds germinate & roots get a good establishment before frost. Lays dormant during winter & growing kicks back in early spring. Planting in spring, roots don’t have enough time to establish before the heat sets in & the heat kills it. I learned this the hard way & I wasn’t spot seeding an area. Was doing an entire lawn. I used hay to cover seed first time & it had a lot of junk seed in it that started growing. Second time used sand to cover & had better results. Sand also holds moisture better

I’d wait 5 days after the roundup. Liquid dishwasher soap added to roundup will help it stick. Better to spray roundup later in evening vs early morning. Day before you plant, put seeds you’re gonna plant in some pantyhose legs, soak in water & place in refrigerator overnight. Cold seeds planted in warm ground will make them germinate quicker
 
  • Like
Reactions: Go aeiou
#67
#67
kiddiedoc said:
New question: I didn't get the fescue to sprout this spring in the areas of the lawn destroyed by our pool-building process. I think I'm going to just bite the bullet and sod this fall (c 1500 sf). Before laying the sod, I'm assuming I need to kill the weeds and Bermuda that have pretty much covered those areas in just 3-4 months. Is one good treatment of Round Up sufficient? Then wait a few days and scratch it up with a tiller?
Click to expand...


I developed real estate and built roads for myself and others. We used sod only during the winter and spring.
The best time to plant fescue in Tennessee is September. The next best time is the following September. That was with Kentucky 31, but it holds true for todays hybrids. Actually you can plant in October too these days. Even November some years.
Fescue is a cool weather grass and if planted in the fall it will flourish. If planted in the spring it must endure the horrible heat and drought of the summer, and the weeds that that flourish in the heat including Bermuda, those weeds will crowd out the fescue.
Yes, kill the area you want to seed with roundup and do it soon. Wait a week or so before planting grass.
Unless you have horrible soil (no top soil or very compacted) you only need to till about 1 inch or less deep. Spread the seed as recommended on the bag, and scratch it in with a rake.Not deep, less than 1/2 inch. 1/4 works. Do not add fertilizer until the grass is up and a inch or so high. If the seed comes with a fertilizer coating that is ok.
Cover with straw, not hay. You only need a little, 1/8 to 1/4 inch. water daily or every other day for about a week or until the grass is up. Then about twice a week until November unless you get rain.
Sod will work, but this is cheaper, and less work.
 
#68
#68
Orange Sunset said:
Did you seed it in spring? What seed name was used & where'd you buy em. Seeds by the pound or 50# bag from a Co-Op type place or wholesaler are better. Scott’s seeds from HD or Lowes are junk. I always used a seed called 5 Star & had great results. A nice tin blade turf fescue. You don’t want a field fescue seed.

Fall is the best time for planting fescue. Seeds germinate & roots get a good establishment before frost. Lays dormant during winter & growing kicks back in early spring. Planting in spring, roots don’t have enough time to establish before the heat sets in & the heat kills it. I learned this the hard way & I wasn’t spot seeding an area. Was doing an entire lawn. I used hay to cover seed first time & it had a lot of junk seed in it that started growing. Second time used sand to cover & had better results. Sand also holds moisture better

I’d wait 5 days after the roundup. Liquid dishwasher soap added to roundup will help it stick. Better to spray roundup later in evening vs early morning. Day before you plant, put seeds you’re gonna plant in some pantyhose legs, soak in water & place in refrigerator overnight. Cold seeds planted in warm ground will make them germinate quicker
Click to expand...

Oops, sorry. I didn't see this post. Before posting mine. We are basically saying the same thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Guest
#70
#70
Offset Eye said:
I'm in Mid TN. Zenith and Meyer seem to do the best here. I've tried multiple types. Watch out for thatch.
Click to expand...
Zoysia does fine in Clay, you just need to aerate and lime.

Go aeiou said:
Yep they make weed killers that will kill the crabgrass and other weeds, but not desirable grass.
Click to expand...
They really don’t. They distress the crap grass. Will also turn Bermuda yellow. I still get big patches also crab grass in my zoysia even though it’s as thick as carpet. That stuff takes multiple applications and will weaken CG so hopefully the other grass can out compete.
 
#71
#71
Roustabout said:
Zoysia does fine in Clay, you just need to aerate and lime.


They really don’t. They distress the crap grass. Will also turn Bermuda yellow. I still get big patches also crab grass in my zoysia even though it’s as thick as carpet. That stuff takes multiple applications and will weaken CG so hopefully the other grass can out compete.
Click to expand...
I'm assumng you did zousia by sod. Curious as to how much you paid. I have a half acre.
 
#72
#72
Rasputin_Vol said:
I'm assumng you did zousia by sod. Curious as to how much you paid. I have a half acre.
Click to expand...
I had sod delivered. I then cut the sod into six inch squares, then cut out six inch squares in my yard, checkered about a foot apart. It was back breaking but grows in in twofold three years.
 
#73
#73
Roustabout said:
I had sod delivered. I then cut the sod into six inch squares, then cut out six inch squares in my yard, checkered about a foot apart. It was back breaking but grows in in twofold three years.
Click to expand...

I did the same. My Zenith Zoysia grew twice as much (or maybe more) than the Meyer I planted. I would recommend Zenith over Meyer all day. Very similar in blade composition but I like the color better. Plus, Meyer will wilt at even a hint of drought. It will come back if you throw water on it, but Zenith just tends to behave better overall. And I have TN clay as you mentioned.
 
#74
#74
kiddiedoc said:
New question: I didn't get the fescue to sprout this spring in the areas of the lawn destroyed by our pool-building process. I think I'm going to just bite the bullet and sod this fall (c 1500 sf). Before laying the sod, I'm assuming I need to kill the weeds and Bermuda that have pretty much covered those areas in just 3-4 months. Is one good treatment of Round Up sufficient? Then wait a few days and scratch it up with a tiller?
Click to expand...
I killed my yard w round up and put down sod. Unfortunately I thought I could just till in the old grass but it was too much. Ended up being a hassle to rake out. So cut it as short as possible and round up it and try to get it out
 
#75
#75
Sod is obv more expensive but I’m very glad to have done it. Makes the subsequent maintenance easier when you start off in such a good spot
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top