When should I scalp my bermuda lawn?

Scalp bermuda to 0.5 inches in late February to early March when soil temperatures approach 65°F. This removes dead material and lets the soil warm faster for spring green-up. Bag and remove all clippings.

How low should I mow bermuda?

Mow bermuda at 1-1.5 inches with a rotary mower, or 0.5-1 inch with a reel mower. Never remove more than 1/3 of the blade height per mow. Bermuda actually performs better when kept short — it grows laterally and fills in gaps.

How much fertilizer does bermuda need?

Bermuda needs 3-5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year, applied in 4-6 split applications during the growing season (March through August). Use a 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer. Stop nitrogen by September 1 and switch to potassium for winter hardiness.

Why does my bermuda go brown in winter?

Bermuda goes dormant and turns brown when soil temperatures drop below 50°F. This is completely normal and healthy. Do not fertilize or overwater trying to keep it green. The grass will green up naturally in spring when soil warms to 65°F.

How do I prevent spring dead spot in bermuda?

Apply 1 pound of potassium per 1,000 square feet in September. Avoid late-season nitrogen which promotes weak fall growth. Core aerate to improve drainage. Spring dead spot is caused by a soil fungus that attacks roots during dormancy — healthy root development and proper fall nutrition are the best defenses.

Bermuda Care Calendar

Month-by-month care schedule for Bermuda grass lawns. Mowing, fertilizer, weed control, and pest management — all timed to your season.

Mowing

1-2" (rotary) · 0.5-1" (reel)

Annual N

3-5 lb N/1K sqft

Water

1-1.5 inches/week

6.0-6.5

What to do now

October

Active Growth

Final mowing — gradually lower height

MowingMed

Overseed with annual ryegrass for winter color (optional)

GeneralLow

Core aerate if not done in spring

AerationMed

Growth slows significantly. If overseeding with ryegrass for winter color, mow Bermuda low (0.5") and seed at 8-10 lb/1K sqft. Skip overseeding if you prefer natural dormancy.

See the full Bermuda pre-emergent application timing guide

Full Year Calendar

Every task, every month. Tap a month to see what's on the schedule.

January

Dormant

Monitor for winter weeds (Poa annua, henbit)

Sharpen mower blades and service equipment

Apply potassium (0-0-50) if not done in fall

Bermuda may stay partially green in Zone 9b-10. Avoid nitrogen — it pushes weak growth before green-up.

February

Active

Scalp lawn to 0.5" when soil temps approach 65°F!

Bag and remove scalped clippings to expose soil to sun!

Apply pre-emergent herbicide (prodiamine or dithiopyr)!

Scalping is the most important spring task for Bermuda. It removes dead material and lets soil warm faster for green-up. Apply pre-emergent BEFORE soil hits 55°F.

March

Active

First nitrogen application (0.5 lb N/1K sqft) once fully green!

Begin mowing at 1-1.5" as growth resumes!

Spot-treat broadleaf weeds with 2,4-D or triclopyr

Wait until Bermuda is 50%+ green before applying nitrogen. Feeding dormant grass wastes fertilizer and feeds weeds.

April

Active

Regular mowing every 5-7 days at 1-1.5"!

Second nitrogen application (0.5-1 lb N/1K sqft)!

Apply preventive grub control (GrubEx / imidacloprid)

Core aerate if soil is compacted

Bermuda is actively growing now. Keep mowing height low and consistent — never remove more than 1/3 of blade height per mow.

May

Active

Mow every 3-5 days during peak growth!

Apply slow-release fertilizer (1 lb N/1K sqft)!

Treat nutsedge with Sedgehammer or sulfentrazone

Begin deep watering schedule (1-1.5" per week)!

Peak growth season begins. Bermuda can handle heavy traffic and recovers quickly from damage during this period.

June

Active

Maintain mowing at 1-1.5" every 3-5 days!

Water deeply 2-3 times per week (early morning)!

Scout for armyworms — look for birds feeding on lawn

Apply iron supplement for color (chelated iron or milorganite)

Bermuda thrives in summer heat. Watch for bermuda mites (tufted growth) and armyworms (chewed blades, bird activity).

July

Active

Continue regular mowing every 3-5 days!

Deep, infrequent watering — 1 inch twice weekly!

Light nitrogen application (0.5 lb N/1K sqft)

Monitor for dollar spot and brown patch

Bermuda is at peak performance. Dollar spot appears as small silver-dollar-sized dead patches with hourglass-shaped lesions on blades. Increase nitrogen to suppress.

August

Active

Continue summer mowing and watering routine!

Scout for fall armyworms (late Aug migration)!

Apply fall pre-emergent for winter weeds (late Aug)!

Last heavy nitrogen application of the season

Fall armyworms arrive in late August, often after tropical weather systems. Apply bifenthrin immediately if spotted — they can destroy a lawn in days.

September

Active

Apply fall pre-emergent if not done in late August!

Reduce mowing frequency as growth slows

Apply potassium (1 lb K/1K sqft) to harden for winter!

Stop nitrogen applications!

Switch from nitrogen to potassium. Fall potassium strengthens cell walls and improves cold tolerance, reducing spring dead spot risk.

October

Active

Final mowing — gradually lower height

Overseed with annual ryegrass for winter color (optional)

Core aerate if not done in spring

Growth slows significantly. If overseeding with ryegrass for winter color, mow Bermuda low (0.5") and seed at 8-10 lb/1K sqft. Skip overseeding if you prefer natural dormancy.

November

Dormant

Monitor dormant turf — brown color is normal

Spot-treat any remaining active weeds

Do NOT fertilize with nitrogen!

Bermuda enters dormancy as soil temps drop below 50°F. Brown color is normal — do not fertilize or overwater trying to keep it green.

December

Dormant

Equipment maintenance and storage

Order supplies for spring (pre-emergent, fertilizer)

Plan spring scalping — have bags and disposal ready

Off-season for Bermuda. Get a soil test now if you haven't in 3 years — results guide spring fertilizer choices.

Quick Reference

Mowing Height

1-2" (rotary) · 0.5-1" (reel)

Dormant below 50°F soil temp. Green-up at 65°F.

Watering

2-3 times per week during active growth, once weekly in cooler months

0.5-0.75 inches per session (1-1.5 inches total per week) per session. Bermuda is more drought-tolerant than St. Augustine. Signs of drought stress: bluish-gray color and footprints that stay visible. Water early morning only.

Fertilizer Program

3-5 lb N/1K sqft/year

Soil pH target: 6.0-6.5

Pests & Weeds to Watch

ArmywormsBermuda MitesNutsedgeCrabgrassDallisgrassMole CricketsSod WebwormsWhite GrubsGoosegrassPoa annua

Want the full Bermuda guide?

Read the complete Bermuda care guide — quick facts, mowing heights, safe products, and the agronomy behind every recommendation.

Read the Bermuda care guide

Want to compare all warm-season grasses side by side?

See the full Warm Season Calendar

Read the full Bermuda grass guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

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Bermuda in other climate zones

The calendar above is for the south (USDA zones 9 and warmer). Bermuda is also grown in the zones below, and the timing is genuinely different — soil temperature in the transition zone runs three to five weeks behind the south, which moves pre-emergent, fertilizer and aeration with it. Find your zone and work from that table.

Growth status and soil temperature are derived from each zone's soil curve together with Bermuda's own dormancy and green-up thresholds, so they describe that zone rather than an average of all of them.

Bermuda in the Transition zone — USDA 7 to 8

The band from the Carolinas across to Oklahoma and up through the lower Midwest, where both warm- and cool-season grasses are grown and neither is entirely comfortable. Timing here runs three to five weeks behind the south.

Month-by-month Bermuda lawn care schedule for the transition zone
Month	Growth	Mow	What to do	What you can skip
January	dormant ~35°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn Service the mower	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
February	dormant ~36°F soil, steady	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Soil test Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
March	dormant ~44°F soil, warming	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Spring pre-emergent, before the soil hits 55 F — per label for your grass and your square footage — these products are sold on season-long residual, and the label rate is what buys it — don't spray above 90°F Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
April	waking up ~54°F soil, warming	1–1.5" weekly	Scalp the lawn down before green-up First mow of the season Mow on a routine	Fertilizer until the lawn is fully green — roughly 75% green-up, not the first hint of color.
May	waking up ~64°F soil, warming	1–1.5" weekly	Mow on a routine Spot-treat broadleaf weeds — don't spray above 90°F	Fertilizer until the lawn is fully green — roughly 75% green-up, not the first hint of color.
June	active growth ~74°F soil, warming	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine Mid-season nitrogen — 0.5-1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft Core aerate Preventive grub control	—
July	peak growth ~80°F soil, warming	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine Iron for color instead of more nitrogen Core aerate Dethatch, if the layer is over half an inch	—
August	peak growth ~80°F soil, steady	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine Last nitrogen of the year — 0.5 lb N per 1,000 sq ft	—
September	slowing ~72°F soil, cooling	1–1.5" weekly	Mow on a routine Potassium for winter hardiness — only if a soil test says your soil is short of it — 1 lb K2O per 1,000 sq ft — 1.6 lb of 0-0-60, or 2 lb of 0-0-50 Fall pre-emergent for winter weeds — per label for your grass and your square footage; if you are planning a second application, the label's ANNUAL maximum is the number that governs — don't spray above 90°F Spot-treat broadleaf weeds — don't spray above 90°F	Nitrogen — you are inside six weeks of first frost in most of this zone. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first. Aeration — the growing season left is too short to close the holes before dormancy. Seeding or sodding — a warm-season lawn established now has no time to root before winter.
October	going dormant ~60°F soil, cooling	1–1.5" weekly	Last mow before dormancy	Nitrogen — too late in the year. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first. Aeration — there is not enough growing season left to close the holes.
November	dormant ~46°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
December	dormant ~38°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn Service the mower	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.

Bermuda in the North — USDA 6 and colder

The upper Midwest, New England and the Pacific Northwest. A short season with a hard winter, so the autumn window closes earlier and matters more.

Month-by-month Bermuda lawn care schedule for the north zone
Month	Growth	Mow	What to do	What you can skip
January	dormant ~28°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn Service the mower	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
February	dormant ~28°F soil, steady	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Soil test Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
March	dormant ~36°F soil, warming	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
April	dormant ~46°F soil, warming	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Scalp the lawn down before green-up Spring pre-emergent, before the soil hits 55 F — per label for your grass and your square footage — these products are sold on season-long residual, and the label rate is what buys it — don't spray above 90°F	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
May	waking up ~56°F soil, warming	1–1.5" weekly	First mow of the season Mow on a routine Spot-treat broadleaf weeds — don't spray above 90°F	Fertilizer until the lawn is fully green — roughly 75% green-up, not the first hint of color.
June	active growth ~66°F soil, warming	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine Mid-season nitrogen — 0.5-1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft Core aerate Preventive grub control	—
July	active growth ~74°F soil, warming	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine Last nitrogen of the year — 0.5 lb N per 1,000 sq ft Core aerate	—
August	active growth ~74°F soil, steady	1–1.5" every 2-3 days	Mow on a routine	—
September	going dormant ~64°F soil, cooling	1–1.5" weekly	Fall pre-emergent for winter weeds — per label for your grass and your square footage; if you are planning a second application, the label's ANNUAL maximum is the number that governs — don't spray above 90°F Spot-treat broadleaf weeds — don't spray above 90°F	Nitrogen — too late in the year. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first. Aeration — there is not enough growing season left to close the holes.
October	going dormant ~52°F soil, cooling	1–1.5" weekly	Last mow before dormancy	Nitrogen — too late in the year. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first. Aeration — there is not enough growing season left to close the holes.
November	dormant ~40°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
December	dormant ~32°F soil, cooling	Not this month — the lawn is dormant.	Keep leaves off the dormant lawn Service the mower	Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.