[TN Hawkeye]

We bought this house back in the fall and the previous owners had mowed very low. The lawn was thin and full of weeds. I've really been busting my hump this spring to get it in shape. However now that it's filling in I'm second guessing what type of grass I have. I assumed I had TTF but now I'm thinking I have more KBG. Could someone much smarter than me help me out with some advice based on the photos? Thank you.

 

[g-man]

It looks like a northern mix. It looks nice.

 

[cfleming001]

It looks like a northern mix. It looks nice.

I agree, I definitely see some Rye grass (Thinner Blade) in there as well, so it is probably a Northern mix. Or they could have over seeded with Rye at some point which a lot of people do.

There are others in the community that will know for sure!

 

[TN Hawkeye]

Thanks g-man and cfleming. The more I look at the more I think I may have a "frankenlawn" as LCN calls it.

 

[Green]

Personally, I'm having trouble telling if there are some drastically thinner grass blades mixed in there, or if it's just the angle some of them are facing, making them look thinner in the photos.

 

[LawnNerd]

To me, i see Fescue and Bermuda. Lots of Bermuda.





Theres more than what's circled, i just wanted to circle the really obvious stuff so you'd know what I was talking about.

 

[TN Hawkeye]

Lawn Nerd- I did have some brown patches during the winter so that would make sense. But I didn't realize it was as prevalent as it appears to be. I have no irrigation system so when the fescue struggles during the summer I suppose the Bermuda will be easy to spot. I mow at the highest setting my mower will go (about 3.5") so I guess the Bermuda at that height fooled me. Thanks for the advice.

 

[LawnNerd]

It was easy for me to spot as I've got it too. short and sweet, you've got 3 options:

1) Live with the Bermuda and convert to an all Bermuda yard. You'll follow cultural practices (mow low, fertilize in the summer, etc) that cool season grasses don't like, and the Bermuda does like. This route will take a few years.

2) Kill the Bermuda while following cultural practices that encourage cool season (Fertilize early spring and fall, mow tall, etc) while spraying Fusillade II in the fall. This route will also take a few years. - I am currently on this plan, and after 1 year I've managed to reduce the Bermuda but it's still there.

3) Kill everything (both grasses) with a mixture of Glyphosate and Fusillade II. A single or even 2 apps of Glyphosate won't fully kill Bermuda (It's a Devil of a WEED). Fusillade II will add a good punch to really take the Bermuda out. After it's all dead, you'll need to reseed the whole yard with your desired grass type (typically TTTF in our transition zone). This route will take 1 season but A LOT more work.

 

[g-man]

Bermuda (It's a Devil of a WEED)

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[TN Hawkeye]

So now that we are into prime Bermuda growing season I am realizing I have a lot more bermuda than I thought. I would guess my front yard is 75% Bermuda. At least I think it is Bermuda. Could some of you confirm or refute that from the pics.

 

[social port]

@TN Hawkeye I don't have @LawnNerd 's eye, but yes, I can confirm that you have some bermuda there.
I cannot give a percentage estimate. The color of summer-stressed fescue is too close to the color of flourishing bermuda :lol: . The last picture, however, shows a substantial amount of bermua, but I cannot say that it is all bermuda. I may even see a bermuda seedhead or two.

At this time of year, I rely on structure for identification. Think stalk with radio antennae. It is harder to identify if your fescue/KBG is laying down (from tires/wheels), so try to stand the grass up.
Another tip is looking for runners. Periodically, I expose areas of the dirt covered up by fescue to look for bermuda runners. They are long, vine-like structures that attach to the ground and move horizontally, presumably to establish new 'bermuda nests'.
The seedhead of bermuda is also helpful for ID. They can come up even with short plants. If you see one, don't be too alarmed before investigating further. The bermuda seedhead and the crabgrass seedhead are indistinguishable, at least to my eyes.

I agree with LawnNerd's layout of your options, though I would add that, even with the most aggressive strategy (glyphosate and Fusilade II), you should be prepared for the possibility of return the following early summer.
Some forum members are trying alternative strategies using triclopyr, tenacity, and other herbicides. You could also try that route https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3735

In my experience, while you are waiting to assess the effectiveness of products that control bermuda, it has already stolen the football and run 20 more yards down the lawn. It's an aggressive plant that requires aggressive intervention.

 

[social port]

After looking a bit more, you also have a lot of Bermuda in that second picture. I'm sorry for the news.

Here's a bermuda runner that has somehow started growing over the fescue (probably trying to strangle it). It is dying at the moment. These are usually running along the soil surface, but can also be underneath the soil, from what I understand.
You can also see a big stalk of Bermuda behind it.





And here is a bermuda seedhead

 

[TN Hawkeye]

Thanks for the reply. When I thought I had a much smaller amount of Bermuda I put a post on the warm season thread about converting to Bermuda. I'm actually excited that I have this much bermuda. I don't care about a brown lawn in the winter. I want a green lawn in the summer. You know how Lawn life here is in TN. Your lawn looks great for 3 months, brown for 3 months, and then great for 2 months. I don't have irrigation so summers are hard on my lawn. I will have to start researching bermuda lawns in East Tennessee.