Sprigging into existing bermuda?

262 Views 11 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Jcurry26, 3 d ago

Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · 4 d ago

Hey Everyone!

Been excellent to read all of the knowledge and experience throughout this forum. So much better than using google to try and find solutions to your problems imo. So briefly, i'm basically brand new to lawn care/gardening. Bought our first home in NE Oklahoma at the end of 2021. We managed to neglect the lawn care for over a year, except for mowing, while we settled in. I started to get much more serious at the very beginning of this year and decided to really devote some time to learning how to manage a lawn. All that research culminated into me having the confidence to give the back yard a shot at sprigging.

We did it all pretty much by the book. Got soil test, killed all existing grass/weeds, very lightly tilled, verticut/aerated. Anyhow that was May 1st and things are coming along pretty nicely for my first attempt. Much better than my half hearted attempts at throwing seed down last year. After really wrapping my head around sprigging, it just makes so much more sense to me than messing with seed and more cost effective than laying sod.

The front yard currently does have common bermuda from when I moved in. The wife wants to lay sod in a roughly 200sqft area that has been invaded by what may be Poa and is quite patchy. The sod would not match the existing bermuda perfectly. let's just say that I'd like to switch to the Astro Bermuda via sprigging.

So my question is this. Is it reasonable to just skip killing the existing bermuda and sprig the Astro Bermuda directly into the existing common bermuda with hopes it would someday take over?

My plan would be:

Scalp lawn to the best of my rotary mower ability
verticut deeply from multiple angles
Sprig fairly heavily and roll in
Top dress with a thin layer of sand

I figure with a very heavy verticut from multiple angles (I own a sunjoe), and a heavy sprig through out and possibly a very thin topping of sand, that things should possibly work out similarly to sprigging in pure dirt? I also wouldn't have to worry as much as the patch of sod not matching as it would be spread and blended throughout the yard and not just one patch. The sprigs would obviously be competing with the existing rhizomes which may delay establishment? I Would have just killed the front yard like the back but my wife did not like that idea at the moment and this was kind of a last minute idea that we had.

-Front yard is roughly 1500sqft
-I do have irrigation
-Yard does receive ample sunlight
- Sandy Loam Soil

Thanks so much for any comments, advice and/or experiences!

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RayFinkle

· #2 · 4 d ago

Kill it all. Then kill it again. Then one more time.

It will survive. It always does. It won't match your hybrid.

I did two rounds of glyphosate and two more rounds of glyphosate plus fusillade. I STILL have common Bermuda popping up.

You've got a manageably small area and half a pallet of sod sprigged will provide full coverage in 6ish weeks depending on your irrigation schedule and fertilization. It only looks VERY bad for one week and bad for two weeks. After that, your sprigs will be green as grass is and you push the nitrogen and it will spread like wildfire.

There are several Bermuda sprigging journals going on right now. You should absolutely check them out.

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Mightyquinn

· #3 · 4 d ago

How do you know you have Common Bermuda? Was it just the grass that was there when you moved in? Is this a new build house?

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Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · #4 · 4 d ago

Mightyquinn said:
How do you know you have Common Bermuda? Was it just the grass that was there when you moved in? Is this a new build house?

Yes, it was the grass that was there before I moved in and honestly I’m not positive. Not sure why I’d just assume that. No, not a new build. Home was built in 1996. I need to take a good look at it when I get home and compare it and possibly call the old owner to verify.

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Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · #5 · 4 d ago

RayFinkle said:
Kill it all. Then kill it again. Then one more time.

It will survive. It always does. It won't match your hybrid.

I did two rounds of glyphosate and two more rounds of glyphosate plus fusillade. I STILL have common Bermuda popping up.

You've got a manageably small area and half a pallet of sod sprigged will provide full coverage in 6ish weeks depending on your irrigation schedule and fertilization. It only looks VERY bad for one week and bad for two weeks. After that, your sprigs will be green as grass is and you push the nitrogen and it will spread like wildfire.

There are several Bermuda sprigging journals going on right now. You should absolutely check them out.

Right, I did expect and experience the browning and recovery the past few weeks with the backyard. Really I’m just curious if anyone has tried to sprig Bermuda into Bermuda if they are different varieties or if that is just a wasteful approach in a attempt to avoid having an entirely dead front lawn for a number of weeks.

I had checked out some of those other journals and they’re pretty awesome. I really like the sprigging process compared to sod or seed.

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RayFinkle

· #6 · 4 d ago

Jcurry26 said:
Right, I did expect and experience the browning and recovery the past few weeks with the backyard. Really I’m just curious if anyone has tried to sprig Bermuda into Bermuda if they are different varieties or if that is just a wasteful approach in an attempt to avoid having an entirely dead front lawn for a number of weeks.

I had checked out some of those other journals and they’re pretty awesome. I really like the sprigging process compared to sod or seed.

I'm certain it can be done as long as the sprigs are in contact with the soil. It will take longer because you have a different cultivar of Bermuda already rooted in the ground. You're pairing a dominant grass against a dominant grass. I'm not certain how you can help your desired variety outcompete what you currently have.

Do you mean different varieties of Bermuda? What do you mean here? There are many different varieties of Bermuda. Varieties that come from seed only and sodded varieties.

Also, what are your expectations? Do you just want a green stand of grass in the front yard?

Last question on this reply. Can you share a picture of the grass you're working with? Folks will identify it here for you OR you can take some pictures foryour local extension office (mine took texted pictures) and they'll tell you what you have.

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Redtwin

· #7 · 4 d ago

I would not sprig a different cultivar into what you have. Get a spot of what you have looking good and sprig from that area. Like @RayFinkle said, post some photos so we know what you are working with.

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Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · #8 · 4 d ago

RayFinkle said:
I'm certain it can be done as long as the sprigs are in contact with the soil. It will take longer because you have a different cultivar of Bermuda already rooted in the ground. You're pairing a dominant grass against a dominant grass. I'm not certain how you can help your desired variety outcompete what you currently have.

Do you mean different varieties of Bermuda? What do you mean here? There are many different varieties of Bermuda. Varieties that come from seed only and sodded varieties.

Also, what are your expectations? Do you just want a green stand of grass in the front yard?

Last question on this reply. Can you share a picture of the grass you're working with? Folks will identify it here for you OR you can take some pictures foryour local extension office (mine took texted pictures) and they'll tell you what you have.

I’ve just assumed, for some reason, that the front yard has existing common Bermuda and the sod is Astro Bermuda. I can’t remember if I was told that from the previous owner or possibly a neighbor or I’m just assuming for no apparent reason as the sod seems to have a slightly finer blade than the existing Bermuda.

I’m really looking to just have a nice, full, green lawn at the moment as I get more familiar with all of the techniques involved then advance at a later time.

Yeah I will absolutely post some pictures for everyone in just a bit here.

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Mightyquinn

· #9 · 4 d ago

Jcurry26 said:
Yes, it was the grass that was there before I moved in and honestly I’m not positive. Not sure why I’d just assume that. No, not a new build. Home was built in 1996. I need to take a good look at it when I get home and compare it and possibly call the old owner to verify.

You may have Hybrid Bermuda already like Tif 419 as that is a common sod especially in the South. From what I have seen, when and if the seed bermuda it never takes and the ground will be just weeds mostly. Like others have said, I would just focus on getting what you have growing good and it should fill in quite well. I would be surprised if you have common bermuda.

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Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · #10 · 4 d ago (Edited)

Alright gentlemen here we go. From top to bottom

First two photos are comparisons on existing bermuda and the small pieces of sod I laid. Next to the downspout and up by the gate are the two pieces of sod. These photos are from the last couple of days. I can't even tell the difference now.

Third photo is the more patchy area with some other type of grass/weed. That's the area my wife wants to lay pieces of sod over.

Fourth photo is close up of the patchy grass/weed

Fifth photo an overall view. Before I get criticized to harshly I am fully aware the shade is NOT good for bermuda. The tree on the right will be completely removed on June 2nd which should help immensely and is probably why the bermuda is not doing so great in that area.

Last photo an overall view of the other side of the front yard

As you can see there is yet a third type of grass that is very dark green on the side of the house. All of this was pre existing when we purchased the home. I believe it may be KBG. That grass will also be killed and sod/sprigged bermuda put in after that tree is removed.

Thanks guys I appreciate your feedback greatly!

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Redtwin

· #11 · 3 d ago

The weed grass is Poa Annua (Annual Blue Grass). It will die off once it gets hot but may be able to hold on for a while under tree until it gets removed. I would give some TLC to your existing Bermuda and then use the strong areas to plug or sprig the weaker areas. You may be OK for now with having two different cultivars of Bermuda but I promise once it is all grown in and you see the patchy look of two different varieties, you are going to kick yourself. That doesn't look like common Bermuda to me. It's more than likely Tifway 419 as mentioned above.

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Jcurry26

Discussion Starter · #12 · 3 d ago

Redtwin said:
The weed grass is Poa Annua (Annual Blue Grass). It will die off once it gets hot but may be able to hold on for a while under tree until it gets removed. I would give some TLC to your existing Bermuda and then use the strong areas to plug or sprig the weaker areas. You may be OK for now with having two different cultivars of Bermuda but I promise once it is all grown in and you see the patchy look of two different varieties, you are going to kick yourself. That doesn't look like common Bermuda to me. It's more than likely Tifway 419 as mentioned above.

Ok thanks man I appreciate it. I figured it was poa due to my lack of pre emergent last fall. Won't do that again. Fortunately I laid only those two small pieces of sod and I won't even bother with attempting to lay anymore sod. I'll just sprig with the current bermuda like you're saying when I run my sun joe in a couple weeks here. I was considering hand pulling as much poa as I can as soon as possible to allow the existing bermuda room to spread. That way I don't have to deal with the dead patches later and just deal with the bare patches now.

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