Effective All Natural Weed Killers To Combat Bermuda Grass

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a drought-resistant turf that is easy to care for in USDA Hardiness zones 7 through 10. In fact, if you're like many other folks, you might already have this grass in your lawn and have looked for the best way to care for and grow Bermuda grass. However, the hardy turf might make its way into your garden or take over another grass type, and that's when it becomes a problem. Luckily, there are two simple and all-natural weed killers that can take care of the turf so it stays where it belongs, keeping your lawn intact and protecting the flower beds that bring your outdoor space to life. Those magic cures are vinegar and plain boiling water.

Vinegar can be a versatile cleaning tool and also useful in cooking, but it also makes an effective weed killer. That said, when using either a vinegar solution or boiling water in your garden bed or lawn, you must use caution. These methods won't discriminate between the plants you want to keep and those you don't, so it's important to be precise when dealing with a Bermuda grass invasion.

To get rid of this unwanted turf, mix a solution consisting of 10% vinegar and 90% water and apply it to the Bermuda grass. Be sure to only spray what you want to eliminate, as vinegar will also kill any other grass, plants, and flowers it touches. Within a day, the acetic acid will harm the Bermuda grasses' cell membranes, causing the plant to die. Then, you can just pull up the dead grass to remove it from your yard or garden. That said, be sure to get the root when you remove it from the ground, or you'll likely have a recurring issue.

Another all-natural weed killer option is boiling water. Once again, this method will also kill other plants in the surrounding area, so using it for stragglers in your yard isn't the best solution. However, if you have large patch of yard or a garden bed that Bermuda grass has invaded, boiling water could be just as effective as vinegar. The hot liquid may also seep down to the roots, killing it at the source.

To keep Bermuda grass out of your garden in the future, remove all of the grass bits and add compost to increase the nutritional makeup of your soil. Then place a couple of layers of cardboard down and anchor them to the ground. Finishing the area by adding a few inches of mulch should keep the turf from returning. If you catch any Bermuda grass popping up in your yard, treat and remove it before it takes hold.