Bermuda grass is a very popular type of grass that many people have in their yards. If you feel like your Bermuda grass lawn is a little bit thin right now, you might be looking for ways to thicken it up.
Having a thin and patchy lawn is really going to be a letdown. You want to have a thick one that you’ll be able to enjoy to the fullest during the spring and summer months.
Thankfully, there are ways that you can make your Bermuda grass thicker, and it’s not going to be too hard to pull off. Keep reading for some tips so that you can start enjoying your yard again.
1 – Set Your Mower Lower Than Usual
This first tip might seem a bit strange at first, but it’s actually going to do a great job of promoting better lawn growth. You want to set your lawnmower lower than usual so that you’ll be cutting the grass shorter.
When you cut the grass shorter, it’s going to make the lawn grow a lot faster. This promotes faster growth and can help your Bermuda grass to thicken up substantially.
It’s recommended to set your lawnmower to a cutting height that is just a bit lower than one inch. This will also work better if you’re using a lawnmower that is well-suited to this task.
Reel mowers do a great job of cutting Bermuda grass and giving you a nice low cut. If you use a good mower and start mowing a little more often than usual, you can expect to get great results.
If you want to encourage your lawn to grow as thick as possible, it’s smart to water the lawn after you’ve mowed it as well. Try to make it a habit to water it after every mowing session so that everything will grow thicker.
2 – Take Care of Weed Issues
Weeds could be choking your lawn and making it difficult for the Bermuda grass to grow. Sometimes it’s going to be necessary to take action to get rid of them fast.
You can use herbicide to kill weeds so that your grass will be able to grow easier. Even if you can’t see any right now, it might be a good idea to use a preemergent weed herbicide that can kill them before they have a chance to pop up.
Applying this type of herbicide early in the spring can give your Bermuda grass lawn a better chance of growing thick. It keeps weeds from germinating and makes it so that your lawn doesn’t have to compete with them.
Of course, you’re going to want to use post-emergent weed killer products on weeds that are visible. You could also try pulling some by hand, and that will help a little bit.
If you let weeds stay in your yard, they’re going to make it tougher on your lawn. It might be a bit of a pain to have to take care of weed issues, but it’s truly going to be for the best.
Your lawn will look nicer and come in much thicker when aren’t an issue. Look into herbicide options so that you can solve your problem.
3 – Give Your Lawn Some Fertilizer
It’ll probably come as no surprise to hear that using some fertilizer on your lawn is a good idea. If your Bermuda grass looks a bit thin, a bit of fertilizer might be just what it needs to start thickening up.
You’ll want to use a good type of fertilizer for Bermuda grass to get the best results. Most experts say that using a 4-1-2 fertilizer is going to be the best option, and you should be able to easily find some at local stores or online.
Using a fertilizer on your lawn at least a few times each season can help it to thrive. It can even stave off issues such as lawn diseases and weeds.
Having a thicker lawn will make it easier for the lawn to withstand periods of drought, too. It’s very likely that giving your lawn a boost with will yield positive results.
4 – Consider Aerating the Lawn
Sometimes aerating the lawn will really help it to grow better. The best thing to do is to take the time to aerate during the late days of spring, but it can also be done in the early days of summer.
You might even get a boost from aerating early when your grass begins to turn green. If you aerate the lawn, it might help things to grow in thicker while also promoting faster growth.
Aeration is going to work better when you do it after cutting the grass incredibly short. Try to do this as well as you possibly can so that your lawn can become thick and beautiful over time.
It’s also worth noting that those who have clay soil or other hard types of packed soil will want to aerate earlier than usual. You want to get better water penetration, and aeration is a crucial part of the process.
Things won’t always be easy when you have soil that is tough to work with, but good aeration can make a difference. It will make it easier for water to penetrate the soil and the Bermuda grass will also be able to get the nutrients that it needs.
5 – Determine If Your Lawn Is Diseased or Not
Lawn diseases might be making your grass have a tougher time than usual. There are many different types that have the potential to impact Bermuda grass.
For instance, your lawn could wind up having issues with a fungal infection that will keep the grass from growing properly. Another lawn disease could involve the roots of the grass rotting, and this will make the grass thin out over time.
If you can determine whether or not there is an issue, you’ll be able to take steps to solve any problems that exist. You might be able to treat your lawn with fungicide or other things to alleviate disease issues.
Even insects can cause problems for your lawn that will keep it from growing as it should. It isn’t unusual at all for Japanese beetles or grubs to make your lawn thinner.
A good inspection of your lawn can tell you many things, and you’ll be able to make the best decisions once you have more information. Lawn insects can be killed with various insecticides, but there might also be natural methods that you could utilize.
6 – Water the Lawn During Periods of Drought
There might be times in your area where you’ll go without rain for weeks. If you want your Bermuda grass lawn to be able to thrive, it’s likely going to be best to water it when things are dry.
You can go out to your lawn and water it by hand if you would like to, but it’s also easy enough to set up a sprinkler system. The idea is to give your lawn enough water so that it doesn’t get negatively impacted by the drought.
If it’s particularly hot where you’re living, your lawn might need a bit more water. The heat and lack of rainfall can really dry things out if you aren’t careful.
Those who don’t water their lawns will likely notice that the Bermuda grass will become quite thin during a drought. Regular watering and using the other tips above can help you to keep it as thick as possible.
7 – Ensure That Your Lawn Gets Enough Sun
Another thing to understand about Bermuda grass is that it requires a lot of sunshine to grow. It’s possible that your grass might not grow as thick as you want it to if things are very shady in your yard.
This means that trees could be making your lawn too shady, and this is preventing you from having the thick lawn that you desire. Making some changes might help to get more sunlight on the lawn, and you’ll be able to turn things around over time.
There are a few ways that you can solve an issue like this. The best idea is to try to trim trees to reduce the shade in the yard and promote a healthier Bermuda grass lawn.
You could go extreme and choose to cut down trees that might be keeping your yard too shady. This might be more expensive and harder to pull off, though.
Just try to make a good decision so that your lawn can grow as thick as possible. If you can make things even a bit less shady in the yard, it might really help out.
Do Your Best
Do your best to care for your Bermuda grass lawn so that it will look thick and full. So long as you take the tips mentioned above into account, it’s going to be easier to make good choices for your lawn.
There will be difficulties that you’ll have to overcome each year, but you’ll know what needs to be done to get the results that you’re going for. You’ll be able to have a nice lawn that you can be proud of.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
--
If you want more backyard tips including recipes, how-tos and more, make sure you subscribe to my youtube channel