Importance of Winter Pre-Emergent Weed Control for Bermuda Lawns

The summer fades into autumn, and it’s getting cold outside just like it does every year. You look outside your window to see your Bermuda lawn fading from its beautiful green into a sandy brown color. What happened??

Don’t worry! Your Bermuda isn’t dead, it’s just gone dormant for the cooler season. But does that mean you just forget about it for the winter?

Please don’t! While Bermuda struggles to grow in the winter, that doesn’t mean that weeds do! Flourishing Bermuda grass does not allow weeds often in the summer due to its dominant nature, but while dormant, it is susceptible to allowing weeds to sprout up. For that reason, it is extremely important to have your Bermuda lawn treated with pre-emergent weed control to stop those weeds from invading your lawn!

Why does Bermuda grass go dormant?

Bermuda grass loves warmth– The sun is its best friend, and it thrives in warm temperatures. However, while Bermuda grass stays nice and bright green throughout warm summers with little maintenance necessary, it turns light brown in the fall through winter as temperatures cool down. But don’t worry! It isn’t dead. When ground temperatures drop below about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, it is natural behavior for Bermuda to go dormant.

Bermuda grass will go dormant for a few reasons. Since it prefers the warmer climates, it has trouble producing enough chlorophyll for itself as temperature cools. Chlorophyll is the chemical that plants produce that makes them turn green. They use it during photosynthesis (along with sunlight) to make their food. Because the cooler temperatures lead to a reduction in chlorophyll production, Bermuda grass focuses the little chlorophyll that it can produce to sustain and feed the root system, thus draining the grass blades of their chlorophyll, and with it their green color. The grass blades will not grow during this time either. Bermuda dormancy conserves its nutrients and energy to simply stay alive and get through the winter season until warm temperatures support its revival once again in the spring.

What kinds of weeds pop up in Bermuda lawns in the winter?

Anything green that pops up in the winter in your Bermuda lawn is considered a weed. This could include any grassy type weed, such as Poa Annua, chickweed, spotted spurge, or henbit. It is extremely important to keep these weeds under control so that when your Bermuda grass wakes back up in the spring, it is able to thrive and come into the nice full lawn that you want!

Also, the bright green weeds that pop up in your brown lawn will be extra prominent and noticeable. We definitely don't want that!

What is a pre-emergent?

A pre-emergent is a chemically based weed control that stops weed seedlings from germinating and growing. Instead of killing weeds that have appeared, pre-emergents are a form of preventive treatment that is designed to keep weeds from popping up in your lawn in the first place! Any weed seedlings that are hiding in your lawn will not be able to germinate because pre-emergent weed control stops weeds in their tracks before they even emerge in your lawn.

Pre-emergents will not affect any plant that is already germinated and rooted, leaving your grass totally untouched. Also, dormant Bermuda grass does not absorb any product, anyway.

Top Turf pre-emergent weed control for Bermuda lawns

So now you understand why pre-emergent control is so important for Bermuda lawns over the winter. But how do you get it? Don’t worry, Top Turf has you covered! If you have a Bermuda lawn and you’re enrolled in our general Fertilization & Weed Control program, you automatically receive this treatment! If you aren’t enrolled, get yourself a free quote here!

Our Fertilization & Weed Control program is centered around getting the nutrients and treatments that your lawn needs at the right time of year. We live where you live, so we know the issues that your lawn has– we have them too! That’s why we are able to tailor our program for your lawn type in order to properly nurture it throughout the year as seasons change.

So, what’s the bottom line?

Long story short, Bermuda grass struggles in cool temperatures and goes dormant, which allows weeds the opportunity to surface in your lawn. Grassy weeds will try to take advantage of this opportunity, but you can stop them with a pre-emergent weed control treatment before they run rampant!

It’s crucial to keep the weeds at bay during the winter so that your Bermuda lawn can restore itself back full and healthy once temperatures warm back up again.

More information on our Fertilization & Weed Control program– fill out the form on that page or call your local branch for a FREE quote!