When should I apply pre-emergent to Bermuda grass?

Apply BEFORE soil temperatures reach 55°F at the 4-inch depth — that's when crabgrass germinates, so the chemical barrier must already be in place. In most of the Bermuda belt that's late February to early March. Use a split application with a granular first round followed by a liquid round 30–60 days later, then a fall round when soil drops to 70°F to catch Poa annua.

How short can I cut Bermuda grass?

Common Bermuda is happiest at 1–2 inches with a rotary mower. Hybrid varieties (TifTuf, TifWay 419, Celebration) can go down to 0.5 inch but only with a reel mower. The lower you cut, the denser and more carpet-like the lawn — but you have to mow more often to follow the 1/3 rule.

How much nitrogen does Bermuda grass need per year?

3–5 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year, split across 4–6 applications from spring green-up through August. Use a balanced 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer like 16-4-8. Stop nitrogen 60 days before your average first frost to avoid Spring Dead Spot.

Why is my Bermuda lawn brown in winter?

Bermuda goes completely dormant when soil temperatures drop below 50°F. The brown color is normal — the lawn is alive, just sleeping. Don't apply any total-kill products like glyphosate to dormant Bermuda; even though it looks dead, it will green back up in spring.

What's the best weed killer for Bermuda grass?

Celsius WG is the specialty go-to — it kills over 200 broadleaf and some grassy weeds with no temperature limit. For crabgrass, use quinclorac (Drive XLR8). At the big-box store, Spectracide Weed Stop and BioAdvanced All-in-One are reliable. NEVER use atrazine on Bermuda — on home lawns it is for Centipede only. It is not a St. Augustine option either: Floratam, the most common cultivar, is not tolerant of it (Texas A&M EHT-144).

Should I dethatch my Bermuda lawn?

No — never use a consumer spring-tine dethatcher on Bermuda. The spring tines rip up the rhizome and stolon network and cause months of damage. If thatch exceeds 1/2 inch, verticut (vertical mowing with bladed equipment) in May or June during peak growth. Most Bermuda lawns never need it.

Is Bermuda grass good for shade?

No — Bermuda requires full sun (8+ hours daily) and there is no truly shade-tolerant variety. In partial shade, Bermuda thins rapidly and weeds take over. If your lawn gets less than 6 hours of direct sun, choose Zoysia or St. Augustine instead.

How often should I mow Bermuda grass?

Every 3 days during peak summer growth and every 5–7 days in spring and fall. Follow the 1/3 rule — never remove more than one-third of the blade height in a single mowing. Frequent mowing keeps Bermuda dense and crowds out weeds.

Warm SeasonZones 7b – 10Full Sun

The Complete Guide to
Bermuda Grass

Everything you need to know — mowing heights, fertilizer schedules, weed control, seasonal timing, and common problems. Built for your zone.

Right now: slowing

October — Apply fall pre-emergent (split with August) for Poa annua control

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Bermuda·Zoysia·St. Augustine·Centipede·Fescue·KBG·Ryegrass·Bentgrass

Quick Reference

Mow Height

1 – 2"

Common Bermuda 1–2". Hybrid 0.5–1.5" with a reel mower.

Water / Week

1 – 1.5"

Deep and infrequent. 2–3x per week in summer, early AM only.

N per Year

3 – 5 lbs

Per 1,000 sqft. Split across 4–6 apps from green-up through early fall.

Best Zones

7b – 10

Thrives in heat. Goes dormant below 50°F soil temp.

Soil pH

6.0 – 6.5

Slightly acidic. Lime if below 5.8, sulfur if above 7.0.

Sun Needs

Full Sun

Minimum 8 hours direct. No truly shade-tolerant variety exists.

What makes Bermuda different

Bermuda is the most aggressive warm-season grass in the country. It spreads through both rhizomes (underground) and stolons (above-ground), fills in bare spots on its own, and handles heavy traffic. It loves heat and full sun but goes completely dormant (brown) when soil temps drop below 50°F — that brown lawn in winter is sleeping, not dead.

Aggressive spreaderHeat lovingFull sun requiredGoes dormant in winterLow mow heightRecovers fast from damage

Month-by-Month Calendar

Tap a month

October

slowing

Mow

2" every 7–10 days

Water

Rainfall only unless drought

Fertilize

Light potassium only. Stop nitrogen 60 days before first hard frost.

This month's tasks

Apply fall pre-emergent (split with August) for Poa annua control

Clean up leaves so they don't smother the lawn

Winterize irrigation system before the first freeze

See the Bermuda month-by-month playbook

The full Bermuda calendar — every task, every month, with priority and timing for every season.

Open the Bermuda calendar

Pre-Emergent Timing

Don't miss this window

Pre-emergent is the single most important application of the year. It prevents crabgrass and other weeds before they germinate. Once you see weeds, it's too late.

Spring (Crabgrass Prevention)

Critical

Apply when your 5-day average soil temperature reaches 55°F. Crabgrass seeds germinate when soil temperatures reach 55°F at the 4-inch depth for several consecutive days. Pre-emergent must already be down BEFORE that — once you see the first crabgrass blade, the chemical barrier is too late.

Typically late Feb – early Apr (zone 7b – 10)Varies by zone

Fall (Poa annua (annual bluegrass) Prevention)

Recommended

Apply when your 5-day average soil temperature reaches 70°F. Poa annua germinates as soil temps drop back through 70°F in late summer. Apply your fall pre-emergent BEFORE that threshold — usually mid-August in the Bermuda belt — to prevent the worst winter weed in southern lawns.

Typically Aug – SepVaries by zone

Timing matters more than product. Too early and it breaks down before weeds germinate. Too late and crabgrass is already growing — pre-emergent can't stop what's already up. Track your local soil temperature, not the calendar date.

What to use

Prodiamine 65 WDG (Barricade)

Specialty

Rate: 0.18 oz per 1,000 sqft (split spring + fall)

The gold-standard pre-emergent. Long residual, low rate, no staining. Mix in a sprayer with a marker dye and a quality surfactant.

Scotts Halts Crabgrass Preventer

Home Depot

Rate: 2.7 lbs per 1,000 sqft

Big-box pendimethalin granular. Apply with a spreader before soil hits 55°F. Stains concrete yellow — sweep off hardscape immediately.

Dithiopyr (Dimension 270G)

Lowe's

Rate: 2.3 lbs per 1,000 sqft

Pre-emergent with a few weeks of post-emergent reach-back on baby crabgrass — the only forgiveness window in pre-emergent timing.

How to check your soil temperature

Use a soil thermometer at 2–4 inch depth, or check your local extension office's soil temp map. Look for the 5-day average, not a single reading — one warm day on a bermuda lawn doesn't mean it's time.

What's Safe to Spray

Bermuda handles most selective herbicides well. Here's what's safe and what to avoid — organized by where you'd buy it.

Safe for Bermuda

✓

Scotts Halts Crabgrass Preventer

Pendimethalin

Big-box pre-emergent. Apply BEFORE soil hits 55°F at 4-inch depth. Stains concrete yellow — keep off the driveway.

Safe

✓

Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action

Benefin + 2,4-D + Dicamba (with fertilizer)

Combo pre-emergent + broadleaf killer + fertilizer. Convenient for spring and fall on Bermuda lawns.

Safe

✓

Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed

2,4-D + Mecoprop + Dicamba (with fertilizer)

Apply to wet grass so granules stick to weed leaves. Solid choice on actively growing Bermuda.

Safe

✓

Spectracide Weed Stop

2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba

Big-box ready-to-spray for dandelion, clover, chickweed, plantain, henbit. Same chemistry as Trimec.

Safe

✓

BioAdvanced All-in-One

2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba + Quinclorac

Adds quinclorac for crabgrass post-emergent. One bottle handles broadleaf + crabgrass on Bermuda.

Safe

✓

Ortho WeedClear (Northern)

2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba

Standard 3-way broadleaf mix. Reliable on dandelion, clover, plantain, chickweed.

Safe

Avoid — Will Damage Your Bermuda

Atrazine (Bonus S, Hi-Yield Atrazine)

Atrazine

NOT safe for Bermuda. On home lawns atrazine is for Centipede only — Floratam St. Augustine is not tolerant of it (Texas A&M EHT-144) — it will damage Bermuda.

Unsafe

Roundup For Lawns (NOT regular Roundup)

Varies by formula

Skip the original Roundup (glyphosate) — it kills Bermuda. The 'For Lawns' versions are selective but read the label carefully for the right region — northern and southern formulas are different.

Unsafe

Tenacity (Mesotrione)

Mesotrione

NOT safe for Bermuda. Mesotrione bleaches warm-season turf. Cool-season lawns only.

Unsafe

A note on Weed & Feed products

Combo products like Weed & Feed are convenient — one bag, one application. But you'll get noticeably better results using fertilizer and weed control separately. Here's why:

Timing: Fertilizer and herbicide have different ideal application windows. A combo forces both at the same time, so one is always off-schedule.

Application: Herbicides work best as a spray that sticks to weed leaves. Granular weed & feed relies on granules physically touching each weed — inconsistent coverage.

Precision: Most lawns don't have weeds everywhere. Spraying weeds where they are costs less and puts fewer chemicals on your lawn than treating the whole yard.

Common Weed & Feed products you'll see at the store

Scotts Turf Builder Weed & Feed

Granular combo (fertilizer + 3-way broadleaf)

Northern formulation. Safe on Bermuda but the timing compromise is real.

Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action

Granular 3-in-1 (pre-emergent + broadleaf + fertilizer)

Tries to do everything in one bag. Convenient but locks you into a single application window.

Scotts Bonus S Southern

Granular combo (fertilizer + atrazine)

WARNING: contains atrazine — on home lawns that is Centipede only; Floratam St. Augustine is not tolerant of it (Texas A&M EHT-144). Do NOT use on Bermuda. Listed here so you can recognize and avoid the wrong bag at the store.

What to grab instead

Three separate products. Apply each on its own schedule. Better results, less waste, healthier lawn.

Fertilizer

A slow-release 4-1-2 ratio (e.g., 16-4-8 or 24-0-11) at 0.5 – 1 lb N per 1,000 sqft, applied when Bermuda is actively growing — not tied to when you need weed control.

Pre-emergent

Prodiamine 65 WDG at 0.18 oz per 1,000 sqft. Apply when soil temps approach 55°F — before crabgrass germinates.

Post-emergent weed killer

Celsius WG for broadleaf and most grassy weeds, or quinclorac (Drive XLR8) for crabgrass. Spot-treat where you see weeds — no need to spray the whole lawn.

Always read the product label before applying. Labels and formulations change — verify the active ingredient and grass safety on the bag before you spray.

Need to check a specific product?Herbicide Safety Checker →

Common Problems

Tap any issue to see symptoms, causes, and exactly how to fix it.

See something weird on your lawn?Ask Larry — send a photo →

Mowing Guide

Mowing is the single most impactful thing you can do for your Bermuda lawn. Here's how to get it right.

Height: 1 – 2 inches

Common Bermuda runs 1–2 inches with a rotary mower. Hybrid varieties can go down to 0.5 inch with a reel mower for that tight golf-course look. Going below 1 inch with a rotary tears the grass instead of cutting it.

Frequency: Every 3 days in peak season

Never remove more than 1/3 of the blade in one cut — that's the 1/3 rule. Bermuda grows fast in summer; if you skip a week you'll scalp it trying to get back to height. Consistency beats perfection.

Reel vs. Rotary

Reel mowers cut cleaner at low heights and are preferred under 1.5 inches. Rotary mowers work fine at 1.5–2 inches but tear at lower heights, leaving brown tips. If you go rotary, get one with scalp wheels.

Clippings: Mulch, don't bag

Bermuda clippings break down fast and return nitrogen to the soil — about 25% of your annual N if you mow consistently. Only bag after a heavy mow where clumps would smother the grass.

Spring scalp before green-up

Scalp to 50% of your target height when full green haze appears in early spring. This removes dead winter material and lets sunlight reach the crowns. There's no such thing as too low for a spring scalp on Bermuda — the rhizomes will recover fast.

Sharpen blades every 20–25 hours

Dull blades tear grass instead of cutting it. Torn tips turn brown and invite disease. A sharp blade makes a visible color difference within a few days.

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