Care & Maintenance for Bermuda Tifway 419

This calendar of suggested maintenance practices is designed as a guideline to assist in the maintanence of a Bermudagrass lawn. Location, terrain, soil type and condition, age of the lawn, previous lawn care, and other factors can effect turf performance.

Mowing

Mow the lawn when it first turns green in the spring with a reel mower set at 3/4 to 1 inch or a rotary mower set as low as possible without scalping. Mow before grass gets taller than 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Then practice grasscycling. Grasscycling is simply leaving grass clippings on your lawn. Glass clippings decompose quickly and can provide up to 25 percent of the lawn's fertilizer needs. If prolonged rain or other factors prevent frequent mowing and clippings are too plentiful to leave on the lawn, they can be collected and used as mulch.

Fertilization

Spring - When grass begins to green up in spring apply a turf-grade high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 20-4-10, preferrably containing a weed preventer such as Barricade. Broadcast fertilizer using a rotary-typespreader following spreading rates recommended on bag.

Summer - In mid-summer apply a complete nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer such as 28-4-6 or similar. Broadcast fertilizer using a rotary-typespreader following spreading rates recommended on bag.

Fall - In early to mid fall apply a turf-grade Fall Feed/Winterizer, such as 5-5-20, preferably containing a weed preventer such as Barricade. Broadcast fertilizer using a rotary-typespreader following spreading rates recommended on bag.

Irrigation

To maintain a healthy appearance during the hottest months of summer, Bermudagrass needs about 1 to 1 1/4 inches of water a week. On sandy soils it often requires more frequent watering, for example, 1/2 inch of water every third day. A dark bluish gray color, footprinting, and wilted, folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Proper irrigation may reduce pest problems and environmental in the summer.

NOTE: Always water during the early to late morning hours and never at night. Watering at night will often lead to fungal development.