[Redland1]

I have very thin,patchy Bermuda under two Live Oak trees on my front lawn.They are between small and medium sized.I cleaned up the inside of the bigger one yesterday to hopefully get some light through it.What can I do about the Bermuda under it.Reseed?

 

[Movingshrub]

@Redland1
Bermuda needs sunlight and LOTS of it.
If it doesn't have enough light, nothing else is going to matter.

Hopefully you'll get enough sunlight with the changes you made. Otherwise, raise the canopy and clean out more of the tree limbs to allow more sunlight, or switch to a version of grass that will tolerate the lighting conditions, whether that be Tifgrand or Tiftuf Bermuda or switch to zoysia.

 

[Ware]

Agree. You can do what you can to mitigate the problem for now, but the shade will ultimately win the long game.

 

[Redland1]

If the changes I have made don't work,how about Latitude 36 or Celebration?

 

[Ware]

Some cultivars are definitely better than others, but the term "shade tolerant bermuda" is really an oxymoron.

 

[Redland1]

Some cultivars are definitely better than others, but the term "shade tolerant bermuda" is really an oxymoron.

So if I didn't go Bermuda is there a shade tolerant grass that pairs well with Bermuda?

 

[Movingshrub]

If the trees have fully bloomed, you could use a DLI light meter to measure the amount of light reaching the turf under the trees and out in the yard. This would increase as the days get longer, but would give you an idea of the amount of light under the trees vs the amount of light in the open. With that information, you may be able to discern whether a 'shade-tolerant' bermuda cultivar would thrive under the tree in a manner that's suitable to you, or whether a different type of turf grass would be required.

 

[Movingshrub]

Oh, or you could just put a mulch bed around the tree.

 

[Ware]

Do you have some photos you could share? Curious how big the trees are now.

 

[Redland1]

Do you have some photos you could share? Curious how big the trees are now.

I looked through my pictures on my phone and I don't have any,but I will be home in a couple of hours and I can take some.

Also am I too late for crabgrass pre emergent?

 

[Ware]

Also am I too late for crabgrass pre emergent?

Perhaps, but better late than never.

 

[dfw_pilot]

I'm in the same boat, @Redland1. I have 12 Live Oak trees in my back yard and they have to stay for privacy reasons. I may end up trying Zoysia, but in the end, hardscape may be the only good looking answer.

 

[Movingshrub]

@dfw_pilot give the TifTuf and Tifgrand options a look. The turfgrass breeder at UGA told me that Tifgrand is the better of the two if being cut with a reel mower.

 

[Redland1]

 

[Redland1]

 

[g-man]

From that image, the house provides more shade than the tree. Could you move that house back 20ft?

 

[Ware]

Which direction does the house face?

 

[g-man]

If he just took these, then his house faces north.

Looking at the neighbors house, it looks green with a separation line. Is that Bermuda?

 

[Redland1]

The neighbors house is all weeds. What I have is Bermuda

 

[Movingshrub]

From that image, the house provides more shade than the tree. Could you move that house back 20ft?

Time to cut down the tree or the house.