question about getting rid of bermuda

[rockettmom]

Hi y'all. I'm new to this board and I have a question about getting rid of bermuda grass. I hate it, hate it, hate it.

I have bermuda that refuses to grow in my lawn, but takes over the beds (where it is unwanted of course!). I tried vinegar/orange oil and it seemed to grow lusher and greener than ever. We then tried to dig it out, but it keeps coming back.

I would like to try the layered newspaper and mulch method, but am wondering how long this takes. If I put it down now will I be able to plant in the early spring? If this works, I might try to use it to clear a spot in my backyard for a veggie garden since the other methods have not worked.

Also, if I sod st. aug in the spring, will that chase out the rest of it in the lawn?

Thanks!

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

St Augustine will choke out bermuda easily IF you treat the St Augustine properly. It needs water or else it will die. If you are not the kind of person who will water during a drought, then get used to bermuda (which can be the nicest lawn on the block if you want to take care of it). Also to choke the bermuda out you need to reset your mower to the highest setting. Bermuda cannot compete with well watered, tall St Augustine.

[Nadine]

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote: St Augustine will choke out bermuda easily IF you treat the St Augustine properly. It needs water or else it will die. If you are not the kind of person who will water during a drought, then get used to bermuda (which can be the nicest lawn on the block if you want to take care of it). Also to choke the bermuda out you need to reset your mower to the highest setting. Bermuda cannot compete with well watered, tall St Augustine.
I tried that and it did not work for me. The St. Augustine is fine in the shade, bet where there is more sun, bermuda reigns. My herb gardens are in the sun and in raised beds. Bermuda finds it's way in, regardless. Bermuda is evil, in my opinion. :twisted:
I realize now what I must do. I need to take a sod cutter and cut it out along with 2 or 3 inches of the underlying soil. Hopefully, I have not already pushed rhizomes deeper into the ground while working the soil. If I have, the monster will surely rear it's ugly head at some point. :(

[crk]

I am helping a teacher put in a butterfly on her school property. It is full of bermuda grass and I know that the kids will be frustrated when the bermuda gets taller than the plants we will be putting in soon. We have a nursery that is volunteering to remove the bermuda via scraping, but would spraying with the vinagar/orange oil solution after the scraping and before putting in compost then planting the plants help as well?

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

St Aug mowed at the highest setting always wins down here. You might put in some artifical shade until the St Aug gets established.