bermuda/fescue under sick tree

[nina norman]

We have a fruitless mulberry tree in a section of ground in front of our house that was undercut this spring as the branches were a safety hazard. Before this we had tried planting fescue from seed and got patchy results. For the thiry years I have seen this patch of ground (it used to be my grandma's house) I've never seen any grass grow under it. Now that we undercut it we have had bermuda move into a portion of it - which is fine by me as the rest of our yard is also bermuda. WELL....here is my question (yes I know finally!) the bermuda is growing in these long strands where the rhizomes are trying to spread out but they are not growing into the ground. It's very wierd! I have these one and two foot tendrils that are on top of the dirt. Mind you - we have awful clay soil that cracks two days after it rains. So, I've been adding compost and molasses as I can and today added more molasses, lava sand and corn meal. Should I do something about this bermuda? Should I try to stake it down to the ground so that it will take root? Or just leave it alone? Many many thanks!

Christina

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I would suggest using a nice ground cover up under the tree where nothing else seems to grow. Certainly bermuda will not survive there due to the remaining shade.