Most homeowners and home builders choose bermuda grass for their lawns because it is a very common choice due to its easy-to-grow and maintain nature. But most people don’t know how to make bermuda grass thicker. It can be worrisome, especially when growing it for your lawn.
Stop worrying anymore; I will discuss making bermuda grass thicker. Most methods listed here don’t require technical assistance. All you need is to follow the guidelines to make your bermuda grass grow exceptionally thick and worth for your lawn.
How Can You Make Bermuda Grass Thicker
There are multiple ways to make bermuda grass thicker. Even if you lose hope and think there is no chance to grow back grass, some methods still assist you in increasing the thickness and improving the health of bermuda grass.
Thinning out of bermuda grass has multiple reasons. Thin topsoil gets solid easily and makes it hard for nutrients, water, and air to reach the roots of the grass. Most of the time, inadequate fertilizer, excessive shade, disease, and insects are the cause of making bermuda grass thin.
To make thicker bermuda grass, ensure the fertilizer application is the right amount. Mow your lawn day-to-day a bit lower than an inch for thicker growth, and you must water your lawn later.
1. Mow the Lawn Closer
Mowing is the key to making lawns thicker. Regularly mowing makes the thicker and healthier as it is the easiest way. The ideal height for bermuda grass for thick growth is about 0.75 inches which is 2 cm. Set the mower blade to this height to trim the grass. You can get a thicker lawn if you mow bermuda grass once per week under 1 inch. It will promote bermuda grass to grow side-by-side across the ground instead of up.
Simply this mowing technique will assist you in getting the thickness of bermuda grass and turning patchy lawn into a thriving paradise. Always use a good mower on the lawn that makes a clean cut of the grass instead of hacking. For bermuda grass, Reel mowers are doing great jobs.
2. Provide Adequate Water
Bermuda grass is drought-resilient. But lack of sufficient water will cause a thin lawn and slow growth. Provide only 1-2 inches of water which is 2.5-3cm per week. Provide enough twice per week instead of watering daily. Less frequent and enough watering assist the soil in saturating and developing strong growth, and you will get thicker bermuda grass.
The best time for water is in the morning before the part of the day when the temperature on its peak. It will avert water evaporation that will starve the grass. Applying 1 inch of water in 1 hour is ideal in most sprinkler systems. So, it would help if you water 30-40 minutes double in a week.
3. Use a Bermuda Grass Fertilizer
Feeding your lawn with phosphorus-rich fertilizer is the key to growing a thick lawn. You must use a good fertilizer for bermuda grass to get amazing results. A slow-release fertilizer that must be high in nitrogen, such as Milorganite, is the best choice for thick bermuda grass. The ideal time to fertilize the lawn is in spring and early summer. So feed your bermuda grass with enough fertilizer to grow faster.
To find out the low-level nutrient take a soil test. Apply enough general-purpose fertilizer—NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) in the ratio of 4:1:2 or 16-4-8 is sufficient for developing bermuda growth and spread. If your grass is still patchy or thin, apply a second fertilizer in the fall. A sufficient fertilizer stops weeds and disease, making your lawn more anti-drought.
4. Check Your Soil pH
Acidic soil is poison for grass, resulting in death and poor growth. Test your soil pH to check if it needs some treatment. The ideal pH soil is between 5.8 and 7.0 for bermuda grass growth. If the soil pH is less than 5.8, the soil is acidic and may suffocate your Bermuda grass.
You can test your soil at home with a pH meter. You can also send a soil sample to experts for testing. These methods are inexpensive, and you can get quick results. If the soil is too acidic, you must use lime to reduce soil acidity. It will assist your lawn in flourishing again.
5. Control Invasive Weeds
Weeds grow in a thicker lawn, but annoying weeds make your lawn thicker. You must eliminate weeds for better growth if you have unwanted plants in your lawn with Bermuda grass. To eliminate the issue, a weed killer is best for Bermuda grass; you can dig out weeds yourself.
6. Scalp Bermuda Grass in Spring
In the zone where bermuda grass is inactive during winter, you must start mowing low before the grass leaves dormancy. Scalping is the procedure to remove dead grass to overcome grass disease and develop new and thick grass.
Scalp bermuda grass before its green-up when the soil temperature touches 60℉. Set your mower blade to the lowest height when you start scalping. You must cut your Bermuda grass at 0.5 inches; it is ideal for scalping.
7. Aerate Your Lawn
Aeration is best for bermuda grass lawns. When you aerate the soil, it is easy for water, nutrients, and oxygen to reach the topsoil and feed your lawn. The ideal season for aerating is spring which is from mid-March to late April. Use a deep aerator to detach soil best. If you want the best results, apply weed killers, lime, or any fertilizers after aeration.
Why Your Bermuda Grass Is Thinning
Bermuda grass is often used in golf courses because of its thickness and carpet-like texture. There are multiple reasons for thicker bermudagrass:
- The grass may not receive sufficient nutrients, water, and air from the roots.
- The area of your lawn may be mostly shady, and there is not enough sunlight per the requirements of Bermuda grass.
- The level of fertilizer may be very low.
- The huge growth of weeds in your lawn may cause thinning Bermuda grass.
- Insects and multiple diseases may be the cause of thinning of the grass.
Before moving to the solution, you must understand what kind of problem your bermuda grass has.
How to Do Maintenance of Bermuda Grass
Proper care and effort can make your bermuda grass a lush paradise. You must follow these steps to maintain your bermuda grass lawn:
- You must water your bermuda grass double in a week minimum of 1 inch of water throughout the area.
- Start mowing your bermuda grass every week, in high temperatures, mow the grass every 2 weeks.
- The best time for watering is morning, so water your bermuda grass in the morning to keep it safe from burning.
- Fertilize when needed, but in late summer, do it again for better soil improvement.
Final Thoughts: How to Thicken Bermuda Grass
To achieve a thicker and healthier bermuda grass lawn, you need to provide your lawn with the best care. This blog explores various ways by using which you can easily promote lush and thick bermuda grass in your lawn. You can mow the lawn regularly and at a lower height (around 0.75 inches) to encourage side-to-side growth and thickness. In addition, provide adequate and proper watering, around 1-2 inches per week, to prevent thinning and slow growth. Thus, regular maintenance and care can help you achieve a thicker bermuda grass in your ground!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Is Bermuda Grass Not Growing?
There are multiple reasons for the slow growth of bermuda grass. Thin topsoil gets solid easily, making it hard for nutrients, water, and air to reach the roots of the grass. Most of the time, inadequate fertilizer, excessive shade, disease, and insects are the causes of bermuda grass not growing.
2. Can You Over-Fertilize Bermuda Grass?
As per said, excessiveness of anything is dangerous, so using an excessive fertilizer affects the bermuda grass and, as a result, burns the roots. You must follow the instructions for feeding fertilizer.
3. How Do You Get Bermuda Grass to Spread?
The grass spreads only when it is not growing tall. It would help if you often mowed to make your grass spread better. Mowing 1 inch once a week is ideal for best results.