Contents
- 1 How to Kill Bermuda Grass: Top Products For Your Garden
- 1.1 1. BioAdvanced Bermuda Control for Lawns — Best Option
- 1.2 Pros
- 1.3 Cons
- 1.4 2. Ortho Grass-B-Gon — Runner Up
- 1.5 Pros
- 1.6 Cons
- 1.7 3. Roundup for Lawns — Best for All Weeds
- 1.8 Pros
- 1.9 Cons
- 1.10 4. Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer
- 1.11 Pros
- 1.12 Cons
- 1.13 5. Tenacity Turf Herbicide
- 1.14 Pros
- 1.15 Cons
- 1.16 6. Ortho Nutsedge Killer for Lawns
- 1.17 Pros
- 1.18 Cons
- 1.19 7. Turflon Speciality Herbicide Concentrate
- 1.20 Pros
- 1.21 Cons
- 1.22 How To Use Mulch To Kill Bermuda Grass
- 1.23 How To Use Solarization To Kill Bermuda Grass
- 1.24 How To Use Edging in Beds To Prevent Bermuda Grass
- 1.25 What Is The Best Bermuda Grass Killer?
- 1.26 How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass Without Chemicals?
- 1.27 How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass With Boiling Water?
- 1.28 How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass With Borax?
- 1.29 Will Roundup Kill Bermuda Grass?
- 2 Buyer’s Guide For Products That Kill Bermuda Grass
- 3 Final Thoughts
- 4 FAQs
Bermuda grass is a sturdy, adaptable, and overall resilient plant. However, these aspects don’t always make it a favorite among gardeners and landscapers.
Because it thrives in adverse conditions, gardeners who don’t want Bermuda grass in their yards will have a battle on their hands.
But learning how to kill Bermuda grass successfully is not impossible—in fact, there are a variety of options for tackling this green goblin that can appear and grow in your garden or grass, with great results!
Read on to learn about the best products to use in combating Bermuda grass in your garden or lawn and get answers for some of the most pressing questions on the topic, to ensure your entire yard is nice and healthy.
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How to Kill Bermuda Grass: Top Products For Your Garden
Bermuda grass is, in a word, insatiable.
While this can be a positive aspect for some landscapers that are dealing with large, recreational green spaces and require hardy coverage growth, it can be a nightmare for other gardeners who can’t seem to weed it out of their yards.
But with these products, you can rest easy, knowing that your yard will be Bermuda grass-free before you know it!
| PHOTO | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
TOP PICK  | BioAdvanced Bermuda Control for Lawns The best option for Bermudagrass removal can help you selectively remove the undesirable weeds. It will reduce the necessity for costly and intensive treatments without damaging your lawn. | CHECK PRICE → |
Runner Up  | Ortho Grass-B-Gon Helps you kill all the weedy grass, without harming the environment around it. Easy to use, no need for mixing. Effective in killing any perennial or annual grassy weed. | CHECK PRICE → |
Best for All Weeds  | Roundup for Lawn Effective in killing over 250 different kinds of weed, including clover, dandelion, and crabgrass. It takes effect immediately and becomes rainproof within 3 hours after applying, without harming your lawn. | CHECK PRICE → |
Fast Visible Results  | Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer With visible results after only 3 hours, this product helps to kill the weeds and grasses from their root. It is usable on driveways, walkways, and any other surface of your yard. Needs mixing before applying, becoming rainproof after only 15 minutes. | CHECK PRICE → |
Proactive Weed Elimination  | Tenacity Turf Herbicide Usable as a pre or post-emergence herbicide, for residual weeds control in turfgrasses and selective contact. Targets many weeds including Carpetweed, Chickweed, Dandelion, Crabgrass, and many more. | CHECK PRICE → |
Specific Weed Killer  | Ortho Nutsedge Killer for Lawns Kills yellow and purple Nutsedge, Kyllinga and over 50 other tough weeds. It is best for Northern and Southern turf grasses | CHECK PRICE → |
Easy to Use  | Turflon Speciality Herbicide Concentrate Presents a weed and grass killer by controlling the actively growing plants. It affects only emerged weeds, present at the time of applying. Designed only for cool-season grass, easy to use, by applying with a spray tank, previously diluted in water. | CHECK PRICE → |
1. BioAdvanced Bermuda Control for Lawns — Best Option
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Style: Ready-to-Spray
Application: Garden hose attachment
Size: 32 ounces
Treatment Area: 5,000 sq. feet
Arguably the best weed killer on the market, if you are battling Bermuda grass in your yard, you need the BioAdvanced Bermuda Control for Lawns.
With a special formula that will not harm Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, or perennial ryegrass lawns, this spray does all the work for you and targets Bermuda grass directly, along with other grassy weeds like foxtail, crabgrass, and sandbur, among others.
With the active ingredient of fenozaprop-p-ethyl, BioAdvanced’s Bermuda grass killer handles problem areas of your lawn and garden, and doesn’t endanger even your delicate ornamental plants. Users agree that within two to three applications, Bermuda grass growth is halted and the turfgrass itself has begun to wither and brown.
Pros
- Easy to use for all levels of gardener experience
- Rainproof within one hour of spraying
- Fast-acting
- Great value for the price
Cons
- Application rate can be unpredictable
- The product’s spray nozzle can get clogged easily
2. Ortho Grass-B-Gon — Runner Up
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Style: Ready-to-spray
Application: Bottle spray nozzle
Size: 24 ounces
Treatment Area: 1,000 sq. feet
Ortho’s selective, ready-to-use grass weed killer is a perfect defense against the spread of Bermuda grass throughout your garden and lawn. This product’s compound mixture will not harm landscape plants, including ornamentals, shade trees, and evergreens.
Ready to use without the hassle of measurement or dilution, gardeners can easily kill a variety of unwanted and stubborn plants, including Bermuda grass, crabgrass, fescues, and a variety of other grassy weeds.
Pros
- No mixing is required for easy use
- Will not harm other groundcovers
- Great effectiveness for the price
Cons
- Can harm produce-bearing plants and trees
3. Roundup for Lawns — Best for All Weeds
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Style: Jug with comfort wand
Application: Extended reach spray wand
Size: 170.24 ounces
Treatment Area: 1,330 sq. feet
An all-in-one solution for Bermuda grass, as well as a variety of common weeds and invasive grass species. Roundup will not kill your lawn, as it removes the unwanted elements from your yard by targeting the root systems of weeds and eliminating them, along with all your garden plant problems!
With over 250 types of weeds and grasses that are targeted by the Roundup formula, this is an effective option for widespread problem plant elimination. These plants not only include Bermuda grass, but also clover, crabgrass, and yellow nutsedge.
Roundup is also one of the most chemically dense options for use in gardens and landscaping, including dimethylamine salt, quinclorac acid, and MCPA.
Pros
- Starts working immediately
- Rainproof within three hours of application
- Kills over 250 weed types
- Formulated for Northern grass types
Cons
- Very chemically dense
- Hard to use without damaging delicate or ornamental plants
4. Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer
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Style: Mix and apply concentrate
Application: Triggered tank sprayer wand
Size: 64 ounces
Treatment Area: 1,330 sq. feet
Eliminate any unwelcome weeds or grasses in your garden with Spectracide. Incredibly fast-acting and effective within hours of application, simply mix up the product according to specifications and spray on the problem areas.
The Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer is ideal for spot treatments as it is non-selective, making it perfect for driveways, walkways, and fences. It sinks right down to the roots and eliminates unwanted plants at the source.
Pros
- Area safe for planting within a day
- Rainproof within fifteen minutes
- Visible results in three hours
- Money-back guarantee
Cons
- Non-selective product
- Can damage the quality of garden produce
5. Tenacity Turf Herbicide
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Style: Chemical concentrate for dilution
Application: Garden hose attachment
Size: 8 ounces
Treatment Area: 2,100 sq. feet
A proactive lawn and garden treatment designed to prevent and choke out any problem weeds or grasses, this product is actually absorbed by weeds that are attempting to grow, killing them from the inside.
With mesotrione as the primary active ingredient, Tenacity protects against a variety of pesky garden plants, including Bermuda grass, chickweed, henbit, goosegrass, and dandelion.
Pros
- Long shelf life, between 5 to 8 years
- Proactive weed elimination
- Effective results
Cons
- Have to apply it multiple times per week
- Careful dilution measurements are necessary
6. Ortho Nutsedge Killer for Lawns
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Style: Ready-to-spray
Application: Garden hose attachment
Size: 32 ounces
Treatment Area: 1,330 sq. feet
Treat your weeds with Ortho’s Nutsedge Killer and watch tough plants wither away. With a no-mix, ready-to-use formula that can be applied to both Northern and Southern grass types, this product is a great option for a lawn that needs assistance.
This product also selectively controls your weed coverage, only targeting and killing invasive and noxious plants such as dollarweed, Bermuda grass, broadleaves, wild violets, and both yellow and purple nutsedge.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Kills over 50 weed types
- Rainproof within two hours
Cons
- Less comprehensive weed killer
- Mixed user results for tougher weeds
7. Turflon Speciality Herbicide Concentrate
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Style: Chemical concentrate for dilution
Application: Spray tank attachment
Size: 16 ounces
Treatment Area: 20,000 sq. feet
Covering a vast area of treatment, this product is designed to control actively growing weeds and grasses, including Bermuda grass, broadleaf weeds, and kikuyugrass. After treatment, the plants that have emerged from your sod will be targeted by the formula.
It is only for use on cold-season turfs, however, specifically targeting broadleaf weeds that appear in perennial grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, fescue, or tall ornamental turfgrasses.
Pros
- Fantastic value for treatment coverage
- Easy to use instructions
- Kills the broadleaf weeds it was designed for
Cons
- Only designed for use on cool-season turf
How To Use Mulch To Kill Bermuda Grass
By essentially choking out the grass with mulch or supplementary barriers, over-mulching is a great way to naturally kill Bermuda grass.
Use either landscaping fabric or cardboard to reinforce your mulching and completely prevent the plants from gathering nutrients from the sun to kill the Bermuda grass. Before applying it, dampen the fabric or cardboard all the way through.
Spread this fabric or cardboard across the area invaded by Bermuda grass and smooth a layer of mulch over top to keep it in place. Over the course of about two months, the roots should be contained and new growth headed off. This installation can be kept in place for up to four months to ensure all Bermuda grass plants are dead.
How To Use Solarization To Kill Bermuda Grass
The best way to kill Bermuda grass with solarization is by using sheets of clear plastic. Start by mowing the problem area until the Bermuda grass is barely above the sod, then cover it all with clear plastic sheeting.
Make sure to anchor the plastic down so that all heat and condensation remains concentrated on the Bermuda grass. Place stones, bricks, or metal rods down along the edges, and leave it to sit for around a month and a half to two months.
The ultra-violet light in the sun’s rays should work during that time to attack the Bermuda grass’s plant structure, and even work to damage the root system.
How To Use Edging in Beds To Prevent Bermuda Grass
Though this method is more of a preventative measure than an eradicative one, pre-empting the spread of Bermuda grass is also important.
Install edging along your garden bed perimeters, sunk about 6 inches deep into the dirt. This will prevent the roots and stolons of Bermuda grass from extending past the boundary of your garden and installing themselves in areas where Bermuda grass is not welcome.
What Is The Best Bermuda Grass Killer?
For fast and effective Bermuda grass management, the best method is a glyphosate-based selective herbicide that targets your problem grass areas without damaging surrounding groundcover or other plants.
By applying a herbicide product to the area of Bermuda grass in the correct dilution amounts, you will generally see results within two weeks. As with any other chemical treatment though, care should be taken when using any herbicide to keep children and pets safe, and to avoid burning the lawn with over-application.
How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass Without Chemicals?
There are still some ways to kill Bermuda grass without the use of chemicals. While organic weed products are available that do not include the typical chemical compounds of most major herbicides, you can also use household goods to combat Bermuda grass.
If you choose to kill Bermuda grass with a household product though, you should dig up the dead plants once they have become brown and dry.
Pulling them up by hand can work, but if you use a trowel or shovel to get access to the entire root system it should prevent the Bermuda grass from regrowing.
How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass With Boiling Water?
Gardeners have also experienced success against the invasion of Bermuda grass with boiling water.
A good amount of boiling water can be applied to the patch of Bermuda grass in question directly from the pot or tea kettle, carefully saturating the ground to reach the root systems. This is a more time-consuming method though, so it will likely work better to kill smaller areas of Bermuda grass.
How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass With Borax?
Another option for a homemade Borax Bermuda grass killer, gardeners can use this laundry room product successfully. Borax is a common laundry booster, and is low in toxicity, but it should still be kept away from curious kids and animals as you treat the lawn with it.
To create your Bermuda grass combat mixture, dissolve about 1 ¼ cups of Borax into ½ cup of warm water. Once combined completely, you can put this liquid into a spray bottle or garden sprayer and apply it to the entire affected area.
Will Roundup Kill Bermuda Grass?
A favorite among gardeners and landscapers alike, Roundup is a popular glyphosate-based weed eliminator. Although it is a potent and toxic substance, it also works incredibly well against unwanted plant life and weeds, including for killing Bermuda grass.
However, gardeners should always make sure to prepare and apply Roundup according to the brand manufacturer’s instructions and specifics. Various kinds of Roundup chemicals exist, but with slight variations in use, so it’s important to always check the label for guidance.
Buyer’s Guide For Products That Kill Bermuda Grass
When it comes to weed and grass killers, there are so many options available that the choice might seem a bit daunting. But by asking some key questions, you can narrow down the type of product that is best for you and your yard.
How Much Do You Need?
You don’t need the exact measurements of your yard, but knowing roughly how much coverage you will need is important. Most weed killing products come with a coverage area of at least 1,000 square feet, which is the typical size of a suburban backyard.
Any product you buy that comes with more concentrate than will be used in a single season should have a long shelf life, and needs to be stored safely when not in use.
What Other Weeds Do You Have To Kill?
If you only have to deal with Bermuda grass in your garden, then a specific formula that targets that plant is sufficient.
However, if you notice a few different types of weeds or grasses creeping into your landscaping, it would be a better deal to purchase a more inclusive weed killer that will do the job for all your pesky plant problems.
What Types Of Weeds?
Weeds are commonly broken into several categories to help gardeners identify and deal with them—including annual, perennial, and lawn weeds. Once you figure out what kinds of weeds your garden is struggling with, you are a step closer to determining the perfect product that will hopefully eradicate all your problems in one spray.
What Kind Of Grass Do You Have?
Some weed killers are specially formulated for Northern or Southern lawn coverage, depending on the exposure and plants that naturally thrive there.
Always check if the product is designed for warm or cold-season turfs, as otherwise the formula could end up targeting the rest of your lawn as a problematic species, which would have a detrimental effect on grass that you want to keep lush and green!
Final Thoughts
In terms of unwanted ground cover, Bermuda grass is certainly identified as one of the more challenging substances to eliminate successfully and keep out of your garden in the future.
And although Bermuda grass can pose a challenge to even the sharpest trowel or the most patient gardener, there are certainly some successful ways in which you can beat Bermuda grass’s hold on your lawn or garden, and keep it from returning.
FAQs
Does Vinegar Kill Bermuda Grass?
Gardeners can successfully use vinegar to deal with an invasion of Bermuda grass. To kill Bermuda grass with vinegar, create a 20% solution that can easily be dispensed from a spray bottle or garden sprayer.
However, because this caustic solution will be dangerous to other plants in your yard as well, make sure to cover them up before applying the vinegar directly to the Bermuda grass.
Repeat the spraying process only after the first layer has dried. It is recommended to apply at least a second coat of vinegar solution for best results, which should be visible within a day or two.
How Do You Kill Bermuda Grass Naturally?
Another option for dealing with Bermuda grass in your garden is to eliminate it naturally, by using mulching procedures, solarization, or installing edging to prevent Bermuda grass from spreading in the first place.
Over-mulching allows you to smother Bermuda grass and remove its ability to produce nutrients through photosynthesis, while solarization essentially uses the sun’s ultraviolet rays to bake the grass. Edging creates a physical barrier between Bermuda grass’s spread through the lawn and into your garden.
What Grass Will Choke Out Bermuda Grass?
Planting dense grass such as zoysia will help combat the spread of Bermuda grass across your lawn, essentially by choking it out and reducing the growth of other weeds.
By planting a healthy crop of zoysia turf in your yard, existing invasive grasses and weeds will be systematically suffocated. Their root systems will have a hard time re-establishing a hold amid the zoysia plug roots, as they can grow several feet deep.
Cody is a fulltime blogger and gardener. His favorite activity to relax after a long day of writing is taking care of his plants and garden. For the past few years he have spent more time in the garden than inside so if there is one man you should take advice from its our dear Cody.
