Bermuda grass is frequently commended for its incredible drought tolerance and is the greatest choice for a beautiful lawn. It, like any other grass, has advantages and disadvantages. As lovely and long-lasting as it is, it may also be a nuisance, prompting its removal.
Using chemicals to remove it, on the other hand, is not a good idea, so if you’re wondering how to get rid of Bermuda grass organically, this article is for you.
Removing this grass will need some hard work and sweat. Bermuda grass seeds vigorously and has a robust underground rhizome system that hastens its spread. It also spreads through the above-ground stolon.
Homeowners frequently opt to get rid of this creeping grass chemically, such as by spraying the grass with glyphosate-containing herbicide. This may be effective, but why risk ruining your soil fertility when there are other, safer solutions to the same problem?
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How to Get Rid of Bermuda Grass Organically
1. Manual Removal of Bermuda Grass
Controlling Bermuda grass in an established flower bed might be a gardener’s worst nightmare. Try digging the grass out by hand. All you need is a weeder or garden trowel, a spade, and a wheelbarrow for this task.
This procedure works best when the weather is cool, and there has been some rain, making the grass more malleable.
Dig out the Bermuda grass from the roots with your trowel, making sure to get all of the rhizomes and stolons and dislodging the root system. It is best to do this before the grass goes to seed.
Scoop the stripped grass into the wheelbarrow and then clear the ground. This effectively stops little bits of bermuda from spreading to other areas of your flower garden. To help avoid the spread of grass, dispose of it in the trash rather than the compost.
2. Solarization
Summer has here; this is the warmest time of year when temperatures are at their peak and solar radiation is at its height. It’s a great time to solarize the Bermuda grass on your lawn, which is now fully exposed to the sun’s rays.
First, mow your lawn, remove clippings, and water the Bermuda grass normally. Using a clear plastic tarp, spread the tarp over the creeping grass, ensuring the entire lawn is covered.
Make sure the clear plastic is intact and free of any holes, failure to which the grass will grow through the holes and survive. Weigh down the edges of the tarp with sizeable rocks to secure their loose perimeters every few meters. This should help prevent the tarp from being pulled away by a strong wind. Leave the intact tarp for four to six weeks.
The heat from the sun’s rays will bake the grass and eventually kill the Bermuda grass alongside any other plant beneath. You can, after that remove the tarp and rake away the dead grass. Alternatively, leaving the dead grass in place to decompose can also be another effective resolution.
3. Mulching
Mulching is another possible approach to choking out Bermuda grass from your lawn. This can be achieved by several methods, using the landscaping fabric or either using a piece of cardboard to smother, even you can use your old shower curtain to rid of the Bermuda grass.
The good thing about this method is that you can be as creative as you can. This method is advantageous since it enriches the soil after decomposition.
My favorite way to mulch is by using newspapers. Pile up the newspapers until it is thick enough to prevent the growth of Bermuda grass. Pin the newspapers to keep them in place, and then sprinkle water to prevent them from being blown away by the wind.
See also: Will Bermuda grass choke out crabgrass?
4. Using vinegar
Using vinegar to kill this grass sounds like a foolproof approach to get rid of Bermuda grass without worrying about it harming your family as synthetic chemicals do.
The only catch with vinegar is that if you use regular home vinegar with a 5% acetic acid concentration, you will need to reapply it several times before it takes the full impact on this tough grass.
You can also obtain vinegar with a high acetic acid concentration. The horticultural vinegar, which has a 25% acetic concentration, is efficient in eliminating Bermuda grass.
The use of vinegar is useful, but you must be cautious. Vinegar can have major side effects such as skin and eye irritation.
However, if you resort to using this method, put on some gloves, safety glasses, a long sleeve shirt, and long sturdy. Then mix the horticultural vinegar with equal parts of water, place the mixture in a spray bottle, and spray on the invasive Bermuda grass. A repeat application may be necessary for you to get the result quickly.
5. Baking soda
Baking soda is a harmless way to rid of Bermuda grass. This organic means of riding undesired grass works on the principle of dehydrating the grass to death.
The baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate; this salt makes the plant’s cells lose water, and when at high levels will be effective in riding Bermuda grass.
The sole disadvantage with using baking soda is that it will be washed off in case of a downpour, and just like vinegar, it is also non-selective so take great care when using it around your desired plants.
Synthetic herbicides are widely recognized as the most efficient and effective means of eliminating Bermuda grass.
However, the difficulty with this practice is that the chemicals used to kill the grass may cause human health and environmental problems, not to mention soil damage. As a result, people are continuously looking for how to get rid of Bermuda grass organically.
The good news for all homeowners is that the methods outlined above are practical organic approaches for removing Bermuda grass from your lawns or flower beds, whether you want to make room for other plants or replace it with a new kind of lawn grass of your choice.
The elimination of this creeping grass organically is more natural and long-lasting.
