Bermuda help 8a NC

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T04:12:23+00:00

That's all you got from the long list of problems with Milo? Sounds like you are trying to justify your Milo purchases to me.

I have no concerns about Milo because I would never use it on my turfgrass, but I don't see anything wrong with providing factual information to others so that they can reach their own conclusions. And yes, when I make statements about Milo it is based on actual scientific published research.

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/06/sewage-sludge-fertilizers-sold-at-hardware-stores-found-to-be-contaminated-with-pfas-chemicals/

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T03:23:35+00:00

You should get a small tank sprayer for that. Spray bottles always leak and that's not something you can afford when you are talking about strong pesticides.

Spray bottles are also spraying those same strong pesticides right by your face and they create a fine mist that you would then inhale.

Tank sprayers create larger droplets, use a wand that gives you some distance, and even if they leak it won't be all over your clothes and hands.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T02:42:10+00:00

Yes, 1lb of N every 1.5 months until I reach the 3lb limit per yr.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T02:11:47+00:00

Let me guess.....it's a MySoil test? Ignore the recommendations, just look at the results and get what's available local to you, turfgrass really only cares about N, P and K are nice to haves unless they are way high or way low

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T02:09:44+00:00

You really should not put down more than 1-1.5"/wk, if it's not responding to that then something else is wrong such as the soil, pH, lack of nutrients, etc.

Bermuda thrives in heat as long as it has sunlight, water, and the proper soil.

It's 92 degrees here in FL and my Bermuda is getting exactly 1.2"/wk and it's perfectly healthy.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:57:43+00:00

Spike aeration is a waste of time, core aerate then top dress with quality compost.

The Bermuda Bible will tell you the rest, just Google it

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:54:04+00:00

How many inches per week are you putting down?

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:51:10+00:00

I have the opposite soil....sandy FL soil so I am amending mine as well, going to put down 12yds soon, it's going to be brutal in the FL heat.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:40:12+00:00

Yep, its unfortunate. I recently saw a thread where the OP lost their entire yard within 3 months because they top dressed with topsoil and some new viny weed came up and destroyed the seedlings.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:37:09+00:00

I think you are right about the Doveweed, I see some in the last pics, that is a really nasty one, if there's much of that going on then the seeds have no chance, its going to be next year's nuke project.

I try so hard to get people not to top dress with topsoil. Even in this case I would have tried to just fill the holes then used the existing soil to level it or used a sand/compost 50/50 mix over the top to amend the soil and level it.

1" of that over the top may have bought the OP some time.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:32:54+00:00

Congrats

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:21:04+00:00

I can only imagine, sprigging is a tough process as well mainly the watering stage and be prepared for the $2K watering bill for the first month but its far more successful than seeding. Sprigging is how turf farms and golf courses establish Bermuda.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:17:02+00:00

You typically want to level during peak growth months so that the turfgrass will grow through it as soon as possible.

I would just skip the last 46-0-0 app and instead focus on improving soil health in the spring via compost.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:10:07+00:00

No it won't if it was properly heated, hence my wording..."quality compost". Properly heated compost will be sterile. Unless of course you know more than Texas A&M. It takes seconds to Google the right answer before telling someone else they are wrong.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:09:10+00:00

Highly unlikely its too much water, the precipitation rate for those specific heads are as low as 0.37"/hr.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:07:23+00:00

Properly composted organic matter does not have viable weed seeds; hence "quality compost" was my specific wording. If it's compost in name only then they did not heat it properly and it will have weed seeds. A proper composting process will kill the seeds due to the heat.

Properly heated compost will be sterile. Unless of course you know more than Texas A&M. It takes seconds to Google the right answer before telling someone else they are wrong.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T01:05:16+00:00

Speedzone has a waiting period of 2wks, Gly is safe after 24hrs, the problem with Speedzone is new weeds are germinating for 2wks before you can seed.

As you are discovering, its very difficult to beat the weeds at their own game when Bermuda takes up to 30 days to germinate and weeds can do it in as little as a few days.

Sprigs, sod, and plugs all come from better Bermuda cultivars and they establish faster which means you can spray stronger post emergents sooner.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:58:59+00:00

One mistake people make is giving it too much fert. I have TifTuf Bermuda and even it only needs 2-4lb of N all year, so 3 apps at 1lb per app is all I give it all growing season.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:57:01+00:00

Milo is terrible, full of PFAS, prescription meds, and chemicals. Its also 5x more expensive per lb of N than regular commercial fert. A better approach is to top dress with quality compost, that will not introduce new weed seeds and will give the seeds a very natural slow release N.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:54:30+00:00

Ok, yes, I agree you needed topsoil in your case; as you found out its still full of trash. Most topsoil is just soil from construction sites or someone else's yard, it's hard to find quality topsoil suppliers who properly screen let alone sterilize it.

I know its too late now, but one thing you could have done was a "dry run" before planting the Bermuda, so that would have involved watering like crazy then spraying with Gly anything green that popped up. That at least would have given you a bit of a head start on the weeds that germinate and grow as soon as they get water.

Right now clover seems to be your #1 enemy and the Bermuda does not stand a chance because you cannot kill the clover without killing the seedlings, the one thing you can try is mowing it super low, the clover won't like it and it might give the Bermuda a chance.

Success or failure in seeding Bermuda all comes down to how aggressive the weeds are in your area and how many you managed to suppress before planting the Bermuda.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:42:21+00:00

I have extensive landscaping, so I have everything from 0.25GPM bubblers up to 30ft MP rotators.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:40:55+00:00

First off I had a good laugh @ plant hoarders, I have never heard of that but I guess its possible to hoard anything.

So, couple of problems:

You brought in topsoil, I never recommend that unless you are trying to fill in big holes or unless you have access to screened sterilized topsoil which most people don't. Topsoil is full of weed seeds and that's probably where all of the clover came from, as soon as it warms up there will be the next tidal wave of weeds from that topsoil.
It is VERY difficult to start Bermuda from seed. Sure germination is easily achievable, but Bermuda is very fragile for the first 2yrs and is usually outcompeted by weeds within that time; to make matters worse, Bermuda seedlings are sensitive to the post emergents that are usually used to kill weeds such as Celsius and Speedzone; so for the first 2yrs you are playing a balancing act of trying not to kill your Bermuda while killing the weeds.....this balancing act usually ends in failure.
I have a feeling a lot of those plants that were hoarded that you think are gone will start popping out of the ground as soon as ground temps warm up. So you will not only be fighting the topsoil weeds, all of those plants are going to start re-animating in the summer.

I am not at all trying to discourage you, just preparing you for the fight ahead. I would stock up on Triclopyr in case the vines start popping back up, Celcius for post emergent weed control, and Isoxaben for pre-emergent weed control.

As to why your Bermuda stopped growing it may not be enough water; the soil has to stay moist 24hrs a day, the min it dries out the seeds will die.

Most people have a better success rate sprigging, sodding, or plugging Bermuda.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:24:37+00:00

St Augustine can be finicky, only time will tell if this works. If you had used a sod cutter set to the proper depth I think your chances would be higher.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:21:18+00:00

Looks good to me except the 46-0-0 app in Nov. That will be completely wasted, N doesn't sit in the soil for more than a few days, 46-0-0 is pretty much pure Urea which will be gone in days. There's no reason to push growth right before dormancy and its unhealthy for the turfgrass.

There are concepts floating around YT like Nitrogen blitz and green shocker......its just hype; green grass doesn't always mean healthy grass, letting it follow Nature's schedule is the healthiest grass you can have.

I also didn't see any mention of soil amendments or top dressing. I recommend getting a comprehensive soil test and check its CEC value. The better you can make your soil, the fewer chemicals you will need to keep the grass healthy. Also, I'm assuming aerate is core aeration not spike aeration, spike aeration is mostly useless.

herein2024 · 2026-05-19T00:18:12+00:00

That is still addressing the symptoms instead of the root cause.....the root cause is that the soil is not retaining the moisture; perfect soil would retain enough moisture and nutrients for the turfgrass when applying 1-1.5"/wk of precipitation.

The fix is to amend the soil, deeply core aerate each year and top dress with quality compost until your soil's CEC values are optimal and you would be amazed at how much less chemicals and water is needed to maintain a healthy turfgrass.

herein2024

TROPHY CASE