Fighting Bermuda grass

Fighting Bermuda grass is a struggle, whether by organic means or no. There is a spray we carry called Bonide Lightning Fast. It is basically a strong soap solution. This will burn out top growth very quickly, especially on really hot days. 10% to 20% solutions of Vinegar will also work. If the patch is small, consider boiling water which will kill the roots too. The problem with Bermuda is the stolon root system which readily breaks. One little root piece left and it regrows. The small seeds it forms are another issue. After you have burned back the top, rent a sod cutter. Set the sod cutter on the lowest setting to strip as much of the stolon mass away as possible. This is the expensive part of the venture as the removal of dirt and debris can be costly. After removal, utilize the lasagna method of mulching the area: first cardboard/newspaper, mulch, more newspaper/cardboard, and lastly, more mulch. Please know that you probably will not have found all the stolons and they will happily invade the new space. Hand pull these new patches as they arrive. Do not let seed heads form! Persistence will pay off as long as you realize that you will never completely get rid of it. Cohabitation is a more likely result.

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