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Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.

Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.

  • We are putting Zorro Bermuda grass around our new home. We live in SC. How often should I fertilize and what should I use? When should I put down weed preventer? Any other treatments needed and when?

    1/16/20099:02:47 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass, Lawn Questions

    Fertilize with an organic fertilizer and spread a 1/4" to 1/2" layer of compost at least once a year, although you can do it twice. If once a year apply in the fall; if twice then apply in fall and spring. Since you've just seeded I'd do it in spring and fall of this year, then annually after that. I'd recommend our 7-2-2 lawn fertilizer applied at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. You can order it from our website. Any organic compost will suffice. For weed control we recommend corn gluten meal applied in spring and fall at a rate of 40 pounds per 2500 square feet. This will prevent germination of weed seeds. Be sure not to apply this if you have Bermuda seed waiting to germinate, as it will keep grass from growing as well. It has no effect on established grass.

  • What is the best thing to lay down before laying 419 bermuda sod?

    9/29/20083:26:32 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass, Compost, Lawn Questions

    Before laying down sod I recommend a thin layer of compost. Our Garden-Ville compost is composted wood chips and bio-solids. Spread 1/2" to 1" of this before laying your sod squares. Also mix in Rock Phosphate at 10 pounds per 1000 square feet along with Texas Greensand. This will provide all the nutrients your grass requires for healthy growth.

  • Hi I live in Copperas Cove Tx, all the grass in my yard is bermuda grass, this year some of the grass died. I have a lot of weeds and a grass with long roots that I have to dig up with a pick in order to get rid of it, it will grow from pieces of it's root, don't know what type of grass it is.I used weed killer for the weeds, but this weed killer will not kill this grass . the only thing will kill this grass is grass killer, but I cannot use it because this grass is growing between the bermuda grass and I don't want to kill the bermuda .I notice a lot of green moss all over the yard even in places where the water runs off easily. How can I get rid of the moss and that ugly grass. Terrence

    6/3/20084:51:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass, Compost, Corn meal

    You will need to build the health of the soil up to get your lawn back in shape, spot treat the yard with Natural Weed Control to kill off any unwanted grasses or weeds. After the weeds are dead aerate the lawn and spread a half inch thick layer of compost over the entire yard and follow up with a good organic fertilizer mixed with Bermuda seed. When the fall comes around broadcast a pre-emergent like corn gluten meal to keep any dormant weed seeds from germinating. Repeat the aeration and composting process as well as applying the pre-emergent for the next year or two and the Bermuda should take over the yard.  

  • I have Tiff 419 Turf and I aerated and fertilized in early April. I have been watering regularly since then. I noticed a graying patch in a part of the yard. I was wondering what it is and how to treat it?

    6/3/20084:48:18 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass

    Neal,

    The graying in your yard comes from a fungal spore in the soil that Bermuda varieties are susceptible to. To my knowledge there is no "cure" for the spore in the soil and the only real way to manage the area is to compost, aerate, and fertilize the lawn yearly to keep the overall health of the soil up. With the days being hot and the nights being cool the problem is not going to go away, as we head into the summer months and the day and night temperatures stay up you will start to see a decline in the patch. Unfortunately this is going to be a reoccurring problem that you are going to have yearly.

  • Last summer, I put down 4 pallates of JaMur sod grass, but did not have enough to complete my back yard. The vendor that supplys the JaMur stopped harvesting it shortly after my sod job, therefore a large portion of my backyard did not get sodded. I recently acquired 2 more pallates to complete the job. Some portions of the area I just sodded had sections of JaMur and Bermuda already growing, and I just layed the new JaMur sod on top of it. Do you think it will still grow? Please advise.

    6/3/20084:43:27 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass, Compost

    Bermuda is a very invasive grass, it will more than likely grow through the JaMur. If you do not want the Bermuda to grow though the JaMur you will need to kill it off using a natural herbicide like 20% vinegar. Be sure and only spray the grass you want to get rid of as the vinegar is a non selective herbicide. Once the grass is dead (1 to 2 days) spread compost over the area and plant your sod squares.

  • I live in Alabama and planted rye grass last fall in the backyard and now I am wanting to sod the backyard. Do I need to kill the ryegrass and if so, how do I go about killing it? Thanks, Brian

    5/12/200812:28:23 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Bermuda Grass

    Brian,

    The rye should go dormant once the soil temperatures start to warm up, instead of laying sod over the area seed it with some type of Bermuda grass and it will germinate and grow over the spring and summer. Then when the Bermuda goes dormant in the fall you can seed the rye.

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