My St. Augustine is getting taken over

[Mr. Longhorn]

I have a rather large backyard with zero shade. Its a new house and we planted St. Augustine 2 years ago. With the drought this summer the backyard has been hating life. I've been trying to keep up with the watering as much as possible.

We also have 2 dogs that like to run paths throughout the yard and matted down the grass pretty good in certain areas. I gated off those areas to let the grass grow only to see that another type of grass is taking over the St. Augustine and fast. After some research I think it is Bermuda weed. It is thin and soft. What can I do to stop it? I've seen a lot of different remedies, but I know that there are some people on here that know their stuff about lawn care.

Last year at this time I had a full, thick green lawn with nothing but St. Augustine and now its crap.

 

[badexcuse]

Bermuda is a "weed"? It's actually the best full sunshine grass around, and if you have no shade, you should consider replacing the St Augustine.

 

[Mr. Longhorn]

I was looking at a bunch of lawncare forums with people with the same problem and they referred to bermuda as a bermuda weed. I had never heard of this either. I am just making sure that I am not screwing myself by letting this take over my st augustine. If its a better grass for sunny yards then I'll let it happen because I dont think this yard will see shade anytime soon.

 

[ScoPro]

Bermuda is a fine grass....the only drawback is that chiggers love it.

 

[Holden]

I hate bermuda. As a matter of fact, i ripped up the front yard w/ bermuda only to plant Palmetto SA w/in the last month. Healthy SA will choke out the bermuda, so my guess is that you are not watering enough. I, too, have an unshaded backyard w/ two labs. Granted, they don't run much in the heat (big boys lay on the proch during the daytime), but I did have what you described as a beat up lawn until the rains at the beginning of July. I was amazed at the explosion of grass. I have since watered ~2 X week and my lawn is rocking green - even with the dogs.

 

[cmvUT75]

I have one corner of my front yard near the cable box where two summers ago my neighbor's landscape workers placed a single patch of st auggie with the majority bermuda sod. Absolutely no shade, and I only water twice a week ... the st auggie has taken over about an eighth of my front yard.

 

[BA93]

if bermuda is taking over too much, dig it up and drop a few pieces of SA sod in its place. Water the hell out of it for a few weeks.

Also Bermuda takes over when people mow the SA too short. At this time of year, your lawn mower should be at its tallest or 2nd tallest setting. Many people want the golf fairway look, but SA isn't supposed to be that short in the summer. Tall SA will choke out Bermuda and and other weeds.

 

[Ignatius]

In reply to:

---

---

 

[GuyLonghorn]

The best thing you can do to keep out weeds is have a healthy lawn without bare spots for weeds to take hold.

St. Augustine is great grass, especially in shade, but it likes lots of water. It is a LOT easier to keep it from drying out if you keep it long. You can keep it long and still looking good if you raise the mower all the way up when you cut the backyard. You remove less of the grass when you mow (less damage to recover from) and you provide more shade for the ground (less water lost).

 

[Mr. Longhorn]

Appreciate the info. I have alway cut my front yard at the highest setting with a mulching blade. The same for the back last year, but this year I've been cutting it a liittle shorter, maybe medium setting so the little one could run around there.

I have a good stretch of nothing but Bermuda. So I should just put in some St. A in the middle sections and let it choke it out? Should I start this now or wait until next spring?

 

[BA93]

In reply to:

---

---