Every gardener has an enemy, a nemesis, an evil villain that lurks in the garden that the garden would love to eradicate. I’ve had an invader this year that has been more aggressive than ever before – Bermuda grass. Once it gets a foothold in the garden it is extremely hard to hold back, let alone eliminate. Recently I attempted to use an EcoSmart non-selective herbicide on the Bermuda grass. While it browned the leaves it did very little lasting damage and the Bermuda grass came back easily within a few days. Bermuda grass 1, Dave 0. This weekend I began a second assault on the Bermuda grass. It’s another extension of my very successful TARP for gardening program from a while back.
I laid the tarp down over the infected area in order to bake the Bermuda to a crisp. Let’s hope this works!
Hopefully the heat and lack of light will weaken the Bermuda and even kill it off. If any root remains alive I know it could easily come back so after I remove the tarp I’ll double dig the area and try to take out any roots I find.
dave, bermuda grass has been very strong here too this year.
clear plastic works better than a tarp, because the direct sunlight burns better. also, i have very good results with application of boiling water.
Some of the grasses are just a pain in the arse. Sounds like rowena has a good idea. How's the foot?
Can't comment on the 'solar baking' of bermuda grass but I've used clear plastic to bake an overgrown section of a vegetable patch and it worked a treat! Are you watering the before putting the plastic over?