5 Best Weed Killers For Bermuda Grass

Bermuda grass is a favorite for lawns because of its heat tolerance, resilience, and drought tolerance. This makes it a favorite among both lawn care professionals and homeowners in the warmer areas. However, not everyone is a fan of Bermuda grass, and it can be considered an undesirable weed in Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrass. Whether you have a love story or a troubled relationship with Bermuda grass, you need to choose a weed killer that is specially designed to your lawn to save you time and make lawn care chores easier.

Now, let’s take a more in-depth look at weed killers to keep your lawn looking perfect.

Southern Ag Amine 24-D Weed Killer – Best Economical Choice

Southern Ag Amine Weed Killer is an excellent choice if you have a large area to cover. It only requires between 1 to 4 pints per acre. It is specifically formulated to kill broadleaf weeds and plants with woody stems.

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It is a popular choice for areas that are larger, such as pastures, golf courses, ditches, and fence lines.

The container is easy to carry, and it is easy to mix to the proper ratios for your purposes. One thing of note is that when mixed at lower ratios, it was more difficult to kill some types of weeds. When mixed to be more dilute, sometimes two or three applications are needed in certain spots. However, it has good coverage and works well on weeds that are easier to kill, such as plantain or chickweed.

This product is safe for Bermuda grass and most lawns. It is focused on broadleaf weeds and is listed as safe for most grasses. It is not recommended for use on crops that are for human consumption. The applicator nozzle uses low pressure, and it is easy to get an even coverage.

Monterey LG5518 Turflon Ester Specialty Herbicide – Best for Killing Wide Range of Weeds

Monterey Turflon Ester Specialty Herbicide is formulated to kill broadleaf weeds in perennial bluegrass, ryegrass, and tall fescue. It has excellent coverage and is easy to apply. It comes in a smaller container that is easy to handle and mix.

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One pint can cover up to 20,000 square feet and is in a highly concentrated formula. You will need to purchase a separate sprayer for application. It should be used when you have at least 24 hours before the next scheduled watering or rain.

This product is formulated to kill Bermuda Grass that is growing among other grasses. It is designed to kill ground ivy, oxalis, wild violet, ragweed, and clover on lawns and other turfgrass areas. It is listed as safe on ornamentals, vegetables, and fruit trees. However, the list of plants that it kills is extensive, and some of them are also used in landscapes, so be sure to read the label.

Gordon’s Ornamec 170 Grass Herbicide – Best for Killing Tough Grasses

Gordon’s Ornamec 170 is designed for landscape bed maintenance, which means that it is safe for most plants in your landscape, but be sure to read the label. It is in a convenient small bottle that comes with its own sprayer. However, it is a small bottle and does not cover a large area.

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This produce is designed to kill Bermuda grass and other perennial grasses. It will kill many types of annual grasses, such as foxtails, goosegrass, and crabgrass. One thing that you might want to consider is that it takes up to 48 hours to stop grass growth, but it can take between one and three weeks for it to completely kill unwanted weeds and grasses.

PBI Gordon – Ornamec Over The Top Grass Herbicide – Best for Over-the-Top Application

Over the top herbicides are designed to be used on established landscape plants. This herbicide is even safe for small seedlings and young plants, which is something that sets it apart from other herbicides. You can also use it in newly established beds, too.

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This is one of the few products that are safe for use in nurseries. It kills over 500 different species of plants, including trees, grasses, groundcovers, and shrubs.

This product kills a wide range of plants, but you must read the label carefully to make certain that it does not kill something that you want to keep. If you are unsure, you should test it on a few plants and make sure that it does not harm them. It does kill Bermuda grass and other perennial grasses effectively. You must buy an additional sprayer and mix it according to directions.

Compare-N-Save 2-4-D Amine Broadleaf Weed Killer – Best for Pasturelands and Crops

This product does a few things that the other weed killers on this list cannot do. For instance, you can use it for weed control among corn and soybeans after they have been planted. You can also use it on smaller grains and for pasturelands.

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It is safe for Bermuda grass. It can also be used to kill aquatic weeds and trees, which makes it stand out on this list.

This is a smaller bottle, but it is highly concentrated and has a large coverage area. You only need about three tablespoons to cover 1,000 feet. It does an impressive job of killing off tougher weeds, such as wild garlic, wild onions, curly dock, tansy, bindweed, and ragwort. However, it works best when applied to younger, less established weeds. It is perfect for use on golf courses, airfields, for roadsides, and on turf areas. This is an excellent product for these types of applications.

Best Weed Killers Buyer’s Guide

Now you know our top pics for the best weed killers for Bermuda grass, whether your goal is to rid yourself of it or you want to protect your Bermuda grass lawn. There are a few things that you should know about weed killers before you choose the best solution for you.

Selective Herbicides

The first thing to consider is that many herbicides today are selective herbicides. This means that they affect one type of plant, or category of plants, but not others. For instance, they might kill common weeds but not harm roses. However, it is important to read the label and make certain that it does not kill the plants that you want to keep. You also need to make certain that it will kill those that you want to destroy. Some have this information on the label, but sometimes, you will have to go to a website or read the instructions that come with it for a full list of plants for which it is designed.

Pre-Emergent vs Emergent

Another thing to consider is whether the weed killer contains emergent or pre-emergent weed killers. Those that contain pre-emergent weed killers will not only kill the plants that are already growing, and they will prevent seeds from sprouting, which prevents new weeds from emerging. It is common practice to have both emergent and pre-emergent herbicides in most products today, but it is important to read the labels to make certain.

Food Crop Safety

Another important consideration If you are a gardener is whether the product can be used around crops of consumption. Some herbicides stay on plants and could poison you if you accidentally consume them. Some have a certain waiting period before harvest. This applies to those that you intend to use directly on the crops and those that you use around them. When spraying plants nearby, you could accidentally get the product on your tomatoes and lettuce. Once again, reading the label is the best solution, but be sure to know for sure before you use it on a food crop.

FAQ Weed Killers For Bermuda Grass

What is the best thing to kill Bermuda grass?

Bermuda grass has spread relatively recently in the southern regions; it can be found in temperate climates on the sandstones of mountainous and lowland areas. A drought-resistant weed with a branched root system quickly displaces nearby growing grasses, inhibits the growth of cultivated plants, completely depleting the soil.

Control measures for Bermuda grass depend on the extent of the spread of the weed. This plant is one of the most difficult to remove, the root system dies after treatment in 2-3 weeks. If even a small part of the root remains intact, the plant resumes growth and after a certain period completely restores the green mass and the root system.

To kill weeds, use:

• chemicals;
• folk methods;
• agro technical techniques.

Herbicides are used when the site is severely neglected; the chemical industry offers a large number of chemicals that effectively act on the weed. They are used only as a last resort when other more environmentally friendly methods have not yielded a positive result. Chemicals from the main list not only destroy weeds but also disrupt the beneficial microflora of the soil.

To minimize the impact of chemicals on the environment, people and animals are best used to treat areas with Bermuda grass weed products that contain vinegar, salt and soap. Such funds penetrate plants, disrupt the process of photosynthesis, and after 4-6 hours, the result of plant processing will be visible. Also, such funds have a minimal effect on the composition of the soil.

How do you kill Bermuda grass without chemicals?

When developing comprehensive measures to combat the Bermuda grass, its features should be taken into account: resistance against drying and freezing of rhizomes, a weak inhibitory effect of crops, and the ability of 10-15 cm segments of rhizomes to grow from a depth of up to 30 cm. You can use such control methods.

Strangulation of the roots with cardboard. Use your hands to pull out as much grass as possible. Try to pull out the root. Soil clearing makes it easier to kill grass with cardboard, providing more effective coverage.

Cover the soil with two to three layers of cardboard. Carton will act as an insulator and prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the plants. Instead of cardboard, you can use several layers of damp newspaper. You can also use a waterproof fabric made specifically for gardens.

Put a layer of earth 15-20 centimeters on top of the cardboard so that you can plant flowers or other plants. Leave everything in this state for 6 months. The grass will die without water, sun and nutrients.

Bermuda grass solarization. For the method to work, you need to cut the grass with a lawnmower. Then cover it with clear plastic. The plastic will increase the intensity of the sun’s rays and thus the grass will burn out.

Will baking soda kill Bermuda grass?

It is good to use baking soda for weed control. This tool is in every home and does not require large investments. You can treat any weeds with soda, but it works best with small Bermuda grass and young plants, whose rhizomes are not too long. This method practically does not work with large weeds of Bermuda grass, but can only slightly dry the upper part of the plant. The rhizome will remain intact and give new shoots.

Such a solution can be used to treat spaces under fences, sidewalk paths, some parts of the garden where flowers and cultivated plants do not grow. For maximum effect, prepare a baking soda solution. To do this, combine 8 litres of water, 10 tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of liquid soap or dishwashing liquid. Spray on the plants. You will see the first results in 2-4 hours.

Will burning Bermuda grass kill it?

Killing Bermuda grass with burning. This is achieved by repeatedly burning off the ground part of the weeds. These weeds, sprouting from the depths of the soil, use the reserves of nutrients that are accumulated in the roots. As a result of burning out the upper part of the plant, the rhizomes weaken and die off. 

What grass will take over Bermuda?

You can sow the Bermuda grass with other plants and grass. It is good to use some kind of winter-hardy cover crop, for example, furry vetch. Sow it after the planted vegetables are well rooted and grow. In late summer, you can sow oats. A few days before the next crop planting next spring, the cover crop can be ploughed into the soil. Don’t miss the time the cover crop enters the flowering phase, or it will turn into a weed itself.

You can destroy Bermuda grass by sowing pumpkin seeds, melon crops. When they sprout, the plants will grow large leaves that will shade the Bermuda grass and it will die.

Will vinegar kill Bermuda?

One of the most effective methods in combating Bermuda grass is the use of a vinegar solution. Many people do not even know about this method of struggle and this will not be the first method on your list. But in fact, this is a very effective way. Vinegar is capable of killing any herb it gets on.

The only disadvantage of such a remedy is that vinegar may not work on long rhizomes that are deeply rooted. It will burn the visible parts of the weed, but if the root of the Bermuda grass sits deep, then after some time the plant will grow again. On the other hand, it will help to quickly get rid of any visible weeds, including drying the top of the Bermuda grass.

Prepare a vinegar and salt solution. To do this, use 1 litre of boiling water, add 2 tablespoons of salt there, stir and add 5 tablespoons of vinegar. Such a solution is capable of destroying Bermuda grass in hard-to-reach places where you cannot pull it out with your hands.

It is best to use this solution on sunny days. If you spray the plants before the rain, then the solution will wash off with water, and you will not get any result.

Please note that you need to spray carefully because useful plants can dry out if a solution of vinegar gets on them. Vinegar can also alter the soil, which contributes to the control of weeds in general.

Does boiling water kill Bermuda grass?

In some sources, you can find information about such a method of weed killingas pouring boiled water over Bermuda grass. Unfortunately, the method does not work on the root system. Water can damage the top of the weed, but the root will remain and after a while, the grass will reappear in your garden, lawn or near the yard. Using chemicals, brine, vinegar, baking soda, cardboard coating will give more dramatic results. Also, don’t forget about weeding and ploughing the land.

Does Salt Kill Bermuda Grass?

Salt has been used for a very long time in weed control and is very effective against Bermuda grass. For maximum impact, you need to make a small hole near the weed bush and either add salt or pour out a solution of salt and water. There is a possibility that with large perennial weeds, this procedure will need to be repeated several times. As for young plants, they will die.

Avoid using the salt solution close to your garden plants because it can harm them. This method is easy to use and cost-effective.

How deep are Bermuda grass roots?

It is difficult to remove weed with high drought resistance. The main root mass is deepened by 15-20 cm, providing nutrition for the Bermuda grass even with a critical moisture deficit. The new shoot of grass simultaneously deepens and gives lateral shoots. The length of the roots of one plant can grow up to 10 m per season.

The main condition in getting rid of weeds is the complete removal of the root so that no parts of it remain in the soil. In early spring, they dig up a weed to the depth of root growth – use a pitchfork, not a shovel. The bayonet of the tool cuts the root and cannot be removed completely.

As the ground part appears, the grass is weeded and the remaining roots are removed. In the fall, when the vegetable garden is left without vegetable crops, deep ploughing is carried out and roots are selected.

Will Bermuda grass grow back after roundup?

Every gardener carries out intensive weed control every year. These annoying plants are rapidly spreading throughout the site. One has only to relax a little, as they immediately cover the entire vegetable garden with a thick “carpet”. They take away strength from the soil and also shade cultivated plants. One of these weeds is the Bermuda grass. It is familiar to almost all gardeners. Bermuda grass is an unwanted weed in the garden. However, you can fight it using the above methods.

Video Tutorial: Preemergent for Bermuda Grass – Amazing results with pre emergent

Conclusion

Weed killers continue to be developed that are more specific in what they kill and what they do not kill. It is always important to read the directions and use them accordingly. This assures that you will get the best results, keep the plants that you want to save safe, and keeps you safe as well. Weed killers designed for your specific purpose are an excellent way to save you time and keep your lawn and landscape looking beautiful.

If you fight with Bermuda grass on your lawn every autumn, then this review will be helpful. I’ve tested a few different pre-emergent and post-emergent weed killers on this particular weed. The results can be found below. Before explaining and comparing the pros of different products, I’d like to tell how to deal with Bermuda grass and similar weeds.

Bermuda grass is a disease-resistant weed that is well-tolerated by different types of soils. This weed is capable of withstanding minor flooding and salinization. With the proper care and maintenance, it provides a thick lawn that chokes off weeds and pests, but there are times when you need to use herbicides to destroy this particular weed.

Most effective weed killers for Bermuda grass:

1. Pre-emergent herbicides are manufactured to kill weeds before they can germinate on the lawn. Herbicides containing dithiopyr or a mixture of Benefin and trifluralin are effective and safe for eliminating Bermuda grass, according to the University of Alabama. Use isoxaben in early autumn for broadleaf weeds that appear during this season. The weed killers that contain pendimethalin help to manage the weeds that grow in summer. If the lawn is new, wait until you mow it at least 4 times before applying pre-emergent weed killers;
2. Post-emergent herbicides. Once the weeds have settled on the lawn, use this type of herbicide after sprouting to eliminate them. According to the University of Alabama, it may be necessary to use more than one post-emergent herbicide. Wait 24 hours to water the grass after applying the major weed killer. Never use these herbicides on Bermuda grass when the temperature is above 860F. Herbicides containing 4D, in addition to other chemicals such as dicamba, quinclorac or sulfentrazone, kill a wide range of weeds after they appear, including Bermuda grass;

A combination of herbicides and nutrition for plants is also effective to fight with Bermuda grass. The so-called “fertilizer” combines a mixture of fertilizer and herbicides. Use the combined mixtures if there are weeds on the lawn. Read the label on the product to ensure that the fertilizer contains sufficient ingredients for destroying this weed. The percentage of a herbicide in the product is sufficient for weed control and it is suitable for Bermuda grass.

Top 5 weed killers for destroying Bermuda Grass:

1. Southern Ag is a quart bottle with an economical use rate. It helps to control broadleaf weeds;
2. Monterey is a 16 oz bottle with almost 62% of active ingredients. It is one of the best post-emergent herbicides for Bermuda grass;
3. Gordon’s solution will work within 48 hours and can control perennial species;
4. PBI Gordon’s is another great weed killer that works within 5 days, with an economical use rate;
5. Compare-N-Save is another great remedy for destroying broadleaf weeds;

As always, I added the video tutorial that shows the action of pre-emergent for Bermuda grass. The results are amazing, watch if you fight with this weed as well. Make sure to leave comments and your feedback – I read all your comments and suggestions. Please, follow and subscribe to Grass-Killer.com!

Sources:

• Southern Ag Official Website
• All You Need To Know About Bermuda Grass
• Herbicides [Wikipedia]