Is it Bermuda?

Could be a wild type, but I no don't think it's Bermuda

It looks to be very shallow rooted. I guess I can try some broadleaf herbicide and see what happens. Or maybe I should start pulling.

It looks like bermuda to me (with a dose of regulator).

It looks like bermuda to me (with a dose of regulator).

Bingo, I've been spraying Primo. Any options for control in TTTF?

I can't see any roots near any of the leaf nodes, only at the base of the plant. Also looks like fungal spots on some blades. Both would be very rare for Bermuda, but anything is possible I guess, especially if you're using regulators--I have virtually zero experience with their effects.

That would be best case scenario if it's not bermuda and I hope you're right. Whatever it is it's struggling to get to some light from in between the fescue.

I'm going to try painting some roundup on it. Roundup does kill bermuda, right?

Roundup will kill Bermuda top growth, but if there are any roots stolons or rhizomatic material left underground, it'll be back. Just make sure you get it all!

Verdict is in, it's Bermuda. It's growing in its normal shape over a mulch bed where it hasn't been sprayed with PGR. Started painting glyphosate on it, we'll see how it works out.

If I apply some landscape fabric hovering over the area to create some shade, how long before it kicks the bucket without full sun?

You have picked a fight with a heavyweight. Landscape fabric will not kill it. Roundup will only kill the stuff above ground. You sir are gonna have to get more ammo. You need this or this and a lot of time. You need to spray every month during the growing season (at least 4 months in a row).

Long term you need to grow a lush lawn & mow high and try to shade it out before it pops up again in the Spring. It can take you years to really get rid of it.

Thank you for your help. I think you're right. I already have about 15 different bottles and jugs and cans of lawn care stuff, was trying to avoid getting some more. But it looks like I have no choice.

I got a bottle of fluazifop and a bottle of WBG CCO (triclopyr) - from what I'm reading the triclopyr helps neutralize the injurious effects of fluazifop on fescue while at the same time injuring Bermuda. Going to apply both and see what happens. I'm sure it will be a long term battle. I will post pictures of the process, maybe it will help someone in the future.

Shade is definitely your best weapon, but the chems will help. Maybe black trash bag plastic would be a better option than the fabric.

Shade is definitely your best weapon, but the chems will help. Maybe black trash bag plastic would be a better option than the fabric.

Well my thought process was to create enough shade to kill the bermuda while allowing a little bit of filtered light for the fescue to survive since it's more shade tolerant. I think a trash bag would definitely do the job but it would kill the fescue too.

True, but don't you have to reseed the fescue every now & then anyway? Seems like reseeding a bare spot is an easier task than killing Bermuda, but maybe it's harder than I think. Either way I guess you know what your plan B lawn type should be...Transition zone Bermuda! Just kidding

I really would like to get the fescue past the first year so it can mature, so I'm trying to keep it alive as much as possible. It's about 100 sq feet that are affected. But you're correct, I will have to overseed, probably yearly.

All joking aside, this stuff grew a couple of feet in the past week and it's spreading over the cement now. Cement heats up to about 130 during the day, it doesn't care. It's tough as nails and would be the perfect lawn grass if it didn't go brown 7 months out of the year. That, and there would probably be a mob of pitchfork armed neighbors coming after me if I planted bermuda.

You have my sympathy. Just be aware there every area in your lawn that was recently disturbed will have the huge potential for invasion. Anywhere that dirt came out of the ground, surrounding areas, areas where dirt was accidentally tracked, etc should all be watched very closely.

I have no idea how this will all work out with the use of PGR. I would imagine that you would need to stop & deal with any rebound growth that may occur.

I have no idea how this will all work out with the use of PGR. I would imagine that you would need to stop & deal with any rebound growth that may occur.

I hadn't thought of that. I still have 2 weeks to go before the next round of T-Nex so we'll see how it responds to the herbicide. If it doesn't, I'll discontinue the PGR in that area.

We'll sure it would be dormant half the year, but you're already overseeding annually, so not much of your routine would change.... And you'd have year round green! Your neighbors would probably be jealous!

Edit:This is the very method used on Augusta national every year, semi-dormant Bermuda is overseeded with rye for that wow factor on camera

We'll sure it would be dormant half the year, but you're already overseeding annually..

I'm hoping to change that in the next couple of years by introducing more and more KBG. I added Spitfire HBG last year and I'm hoping it will contribute by spreading some this fall, also going to seed more KBG this year. The goal is to get to a 12 month green with little to no overseeding. Here's to hoping right?

Barenbrug has a KBG variety that can be seeded along with Bermuda and can take very low cuts in the summer - 0.25". They still recommend seeding more on a yearly basis, but there's a few sports fields using that combo.

I looked that stuff up the other day when it was suggested in another thread--It seems to have a stellar reputation.

Here's to hoping right?

I had hopes & dreams 6 years ago. Now I have bermuda.

@reeljake

That's what I'm seeing as well, though I don't know how much of it is marketing hype. NTEP tests seem to back it up though. At this point I think I'm going to go with their Turf Blue HGT this fall, at 90/10 with Rhambler TTTF.

I was skeptical about celebration being sooo much better than 419, but it really does grow faster, denser, greener & lower, even in the shady spots. Whatever science these turf guys are doing, it's more than just hype

Update: I applied fluazifop + triclopyr on Saturday 6/25. The bermuda definitely didn't like it. Being under PGR didn't seem to matter much. The fescue is unharmed, no yellowing or anything. So far so good.

The brown bermuda is kind of unsightly, can I pull it or should I leave it?

You are so lucky to have a chemical option to combat the Bermuda. I have some mixed into my St. Augustine and there is no chemical I know of that will kill the Bermuda and not the St. Augustine. I would hand pull what you can and live with the rest.

dmt4641, I have no trouble controlling bermuda in St Augustine. Rather than turning this topic in a new direction, why don't you start a new topic for controlling bermuda in St Augustine?

I wasn't asking for advice, just commenting that it is good he has a chemical option. My last sentence was missing the word "would", I would pull out as much of the brown Bermuda as he could.

@dmt4641

Do you hand pull it out? How long does it take to come back?

Bermuda spreads very quickly. I pulled runners every few days for a few weeks. That gave my grass enough time to fill in. But since your Bermuda appears to be dying you will probably not have to pull as much as I did.

My wife complains when I spend a few minutes every day pulling the Bermuda out. I guess she doesn't care because it's green. She even complains when I pull out the nutsedge. She doesn't get it that both those things will take over our yard. Bermuda is fine as a grass, but not mixed with St. Aug.

I think I'd complain about pulling nutsedge too--Pulling makes it spread faster. Dry ground & sulfentrazone are your 2 best weapons for nutsedge, but that's a different topic.

Yes sorry for the off topic but reeljake is right don't pull nutsedge. Use a herbicide like Sedgehammer.

I have spots of my yard that are very sandy and I can sometimes reach into the earth and take out an entire forest of underground tubers with the visible plant. That being said I understand what you all are saying, and I am currently using Image kills Nutsedge; I was hand pulling those that I could when I had a few minutes before I was able to start applying herbicide. Sedgehammer seems more popular on the forums, and I may switch to that once I run out of Image, depending on how I judge it's efficacy (it's only been a week since I did the first app). I would think if you are getting a lot of root structure when you pull out the sedge, it has to be better than just leaving it there.

Image works. In fact, it may even be the same active ingredient