Question
Dear Long Island Gardener,

I have been growing thick Bermuda Grass and the whole yard is totally filled now with WEEDS! It's spring now and I can see this problem is not going away by itself. Is there any hope for the Bermuda Grass here?  What should I do about all the weeds?  Wipe out the whole yard and start all over?  Help!!!!!!!

Answer
Calm down, my friend - this is probably a very simple problem to correct.

Bermuda Grass can lose ground over the winter - which I am guessing is probably not that cold - and be overcome with weeds.  Try a treatment of Corn Meal Gluten at the first sign of Forsythia Bloom - this is a natural, organic way to eliminate weeds while not eliminating the rest of us.  CMG has to be sprayed/powdered when you see Forsythias because it gets newly sprouting weed seeds.

It won't eliminate perennial weeds, unfortunately.  Dandelions, you should hand dig.  Most perennials will probably be choked out by the aggressive Bermudagrass stand as it revs up the engine for summer.  DO NOT USE PESTICIDES or HERBICIDES on this grass!!!!!

The perfect Bermuda pH is 6.5 to 7.0.

Mow your Bermuda at the perfect Bermuda height: 1/2 to 1 inch for Hybrids, 1 to 2 inches for "common" Bermudagrass.  South Carolina's Clemson University Cooperative Extension (http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic1205.htm) ecommends: "Reel mowers cut with a scissor-like action to produce a very clean, even cut. They are used at cutting heights of 2 inches or less. Bermuda and zoysiagrass are best cut with a reel mower."

If of course your Bermudagrass is struggling in shade, I should not have to tell you that you can kiss that grass goodbye.  Bermuda has ZERO tolerance for shade.  Find a pretty groundcover and plant it.  I can help you with that if you need it.

Keep your Bermudagrass strong and healthy, Casey, and it will be the toughest grass out there.