How to Make Bermuda grass Thicker

The easiest way to make your Bermuda lawn grass thicker is by paying more attention to its needs.

Remember that grass, just like the plants in our farms, have to be planted in good soil and one that contains all the necessary nutrients to encourage growth. Water is a necessity to healthy-looking and shiny Bermuda grass blades and insecticides are a necessity to help prevent disease infestation.

The above are just but a few reasons why your Bermuda grass is no longer growing thicker. Grass just like plants is quite delicate and needs to be taken care of. Although there is some type of hard grass that can thrive in drought conditions and even withstand high foot traffic. The TifTuf Bermuda grass usually planted in lawns can withstand high foot traffic and recovers quickly when damaged.

Types of Bermuda grass

Bermuda grass is available in up to 50 species which is quite a large number to choose from. The best feature about this family of grass is that they have some really hardy individuals that will thrive under the full glare of the sun and even exhibit some great tolerance to shade and cold. An example is the blackjack Bermuda that has proven its tolerance in the golf courses over the years.

Blackjack Bermuda has the best seeding success and grows pretty fast. Its texture is too fine that we even wonder how it pulls through the drought. Its best feature is that it makes a thick and full density lawn grass offering a carpet-like feel. Individuals with varieties of the Bermuda grass in their lawns can expect them to exhibit some of the above qualities like the Bermuda grass which offers a dense covering.

How to make your lawn Bermuda grass thicker

Change your mowing technique

Generally mowing grass is one of the sure ways to have your grass grow thicker. It is believed that the tip of the grass blades contains hormones known to suppress horizontal growth. So when we mow our lawns, the tips are removed thus allowing the grass to grow thicker and spread in the areas close to the roots. Once you have planted the Bermuda grass in your lawn, you should expect to achieve more lateral growth. This consequently means that during mowing the mower should be set to mow low.

Bermuda grass is quite demanding in terms of maintenance because naturally, it grows aggressively and this is why mowing will proceed more frequently to a height of 1 or 1 ½ inches. It is important to note that at this time of aggressive growth fertilizer should be applied to ensure that the ground gets a good covering.

Take care of the weeds from the get-go

As you strive to achieve the perfect lawn cover with the Bermuda grass chances are that weeds will try and choke your grass out of life or rather compete with the Bermuda grass for nutrients. To get around this situation before it throws your lawn out of balance, invest in pre-emergent herbicides. These herbicides are best applied during fall or summer.

In addition, an important thing to remember is that the influence of the herbicides ends with the weeds seeds. So there won’t be an effect on the plants or grass.

Overseeding

It is highly unlikely to find a cosmetic lawn with one type of grass. Usually, the logic behind planting various varieties of grass is to deal with the problem of thinning. Overseeding your lawn with a different variety of grass ensures that it remains dense and thick. In order for this process to work efficiently, the lawn owner must research for the perfect grass to overseed (Annual ryegrass). Also, they must bring the seeded grass up to speed water and a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer must be used.

Soil Aeration

Bermuda grass has a hard time breaking out when planted in skimpy topsoil that gets compacted easily. Depending on the type of soil in your lawn, you will have to research on the best times to aerate so that nutrients, water and air can properly penetrate to the roots. For the Bermuda grass, aeration is best done when the grass begins to achieve a strong brown color.

Aeration can also be done after scalping. Soil quality is important for all types of grass and there are a myriad things that lawn owners can do to improve soil quality apart from aeration. For example, they could mulch the grass or apply topsoil.

Kill lawn insects and treat the lawn diseases

Lawn insects are very well capable of destroying grass massively, in which case they will feed on the grass and cause them to change their color to yellow and consequently die. The above becomes worse when the grass is already stressed out. Additionally, wild animals like raccoons, birds and skunks will be attracted to the insects in your turf and consequently destroy the grass.

The use of insecticides as directed by the manufacturer will protect your grass from wild animals and insects. Lawn diseases also thin out the grass, making the lawn to look patchy. Lawn owners should therefore treat the lawn diseases and eliminate insects that have a negative impact on the lawn.

Conclusion

Making the lawn Bermuda grass grow thicker requires some real effort and hard work. This includes investing in the right fertilizer to getting the pre and post-emergent herbicides. Gardeners should also invest in the right insecticides. Proper management of the grass is mandatory if the lawn is to experience growth which involves watering, trimming, scalping and mulching. Soil aeration is also an important process.

All of the above processes in combination should make the Bermuda grass in your lawn grow thicker.

FAQ’s

1. Can the Bermuda grass thicken on its own?

Grass thickens on its own, only that the lawn owner has to provide the necessary conditions for the grass to spread. One of the simplest method being to cut the tips by mowing frequently.

2. Which is the best fertilizer for Bermuda grass?

The Scotts turf builder, and the Miracle-Gro water-soluble lawn food.