In many situations, you don’t want to completely kill a spot of bermudagrass in a lawn – – you just want to gradually control the bermudagrass in the other turfgrass.

There are three solutions:

Solution #1

Bayer Advanced Bermudagrass Control is labeled for use in fescue lawns. DO NOT use on St. Augustine [including Floratam], bermudagrass, bentgrass, centipede or bahia lawns.

Solution #2

Q: I have heard you discuss on your radio show removing bermudagrass from fescue lawns. In my landscaping business we use Ornamec(tm) to effectively do this.

A: You are absolutely correct that this product is labeled for bermudagrass suppression. My observation is that it is rarely found on nursery shelves but is typically used by professionals like yourself. I think this is good because failure to dilute and apply Ornamec(tm) precisely will result in harm to fescuegrass as well as bermudagrass.

Oddly enough, the chemical that powers the product you use is fluazifop, which is available to homeowners as Ortho Grass-B-Gon for Landscapes and Green Light Bermudagrass Killer. However, the official label for these products does not include application to fescue lawns. It is only labeled for controlling grassy weeds in ornamental plantings.

Strictly speaking, it is a violation of law to use a product “not according to label”. I’ll let you make your own decision.

The best time to apply fluazifop to fescue for suppression of bermudagrass is in spring just as the bermudagrass is sprouting green stems.

Solution #3

Q: Would triclopyr burn back bermudagrass in fescue lawns?

A: Yes, it would. The label on Weed B Gon for Chickweed, Clover and Oxalis states that it should not be used on bermudagrass lawns. Bermudagrass is more sensitive to triclopyr than is fescue.

As with fluazifop above, using triclopyr in this way is an “off label” use. You assume all responsibility for the outcome.

The best time to apply triclopyr to fescue for suppression of bermudagrass is in spring just as the bermudagrass is sprouting green stems