Brought to America in the 1500s by the Spanish, Bermuda grass is a cold-weather tolerant, warm-season grass. Bermuda grass will stay green all year long in warm tropical climates. In areas where temperatures drop below 60 degrees F. (15 C.), the grass will turn brown as it has gone dormant.
While there are a lot of positives to having drought-tolerant grass like Bermuda surrounding your home, it is prone to common weeds that can quickly become a problem like many other lawn varieties.
When choosing a Bermuda grass weed killer, it’s essential to remember that you need to select a blend that won’t harm or kill the grass. To do this, you’ll want to make sure you choose a selective weed killer.
Selective weed killers will find and destroy the weeds without harming your lawn. A nonselective weed killer does precisely what it sounds like. It’s going to destroy anything it comes in contact with.
To help you battle the weeds growing in your Bermuda grass, I’ve tested some of the top herbicides to help you choose the right products to keep your grass green and free of pesky weeds.
In a rush? These are the ones I recommend. But keep reading if you want more info on each.
CLICK on any option below to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
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7 Weed Killers That Won’t Harm Bermuda Grass
1. Top Pick- Southern AG Amine 2,4-D Weed Killer Herbicide
Southern Ag Amine 2,4-D Amine Weed Killer Herbicide is used for Broadleaf Weed Control. Its low and economical use rate of 1 to 4 pints per acre controls many broadleaf weeds & woody plants without harming Bermuda and other types of grass.
Pros
Cons
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2. Best Specialty Mix – Image Kills Nutsedge Concentrate
If you have ever had Nutsedge invade your lawn, you know how frustrating it can be. Customers generally rave about this product’s ability to eliminate Nutsedge efficiently. While you can apply to your entire lawn or use it in spots, I recommend applying it in spots to avoid the potential of applying too much at one time.
Pros
Cons
- Image label
- Image is a postemergent, selective herbicide for use in southern turf grass and selected ornamentals
- Manufactured in United States
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3. Best Granular Pre-emergent – The Andersons Barricade Pre-emergent Weed Control
Pros
Cons
- Apply this product only in EARLY SPRING and FALL
- Barricade professional-grade pre-emergent weed control is designed to prevent weeds, and will not aid in eliminating existing weeds.
- Contains 0.48% of the active ingredient prodiamine - Labeled to prevent over 30 grass and broadleaf weeds
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4. Bests Liquid Pre-emergent – Yard Myster Prodiamine 65 Wdg
The 50z bottle of granules that are mixed with water and can be applied with a spraying system will last most homeowners an entire growing season. This makes this product an excellent choice for those with many square feet to cover.
Pros
Cons
- 5OZ BOTTLE - Professionally formulated for DIYers who want small quantities of pre emergent. One 5 oz bottle covers 6,000 sq ft at max rate for a full year.
- STOP CRABGRASS - Use this in spring and fall to stop crabgrass and poa annua as a pre emergent but this also stops other listed weeds. See full product description below.
- WATER DISPERSIBLE GRANULE (WDG) - Mix in water and sprayed out as a liquid via pump or battery sprayer. Product must be watered in.
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5. Runner-up – Bioadvanced Bermudagrass Control for Lawns
BioAdvanced Bermuda Grass Control for Lawns will eliminate undesirable broadleaf and grassy weeds without damaging your Bermuda grass lawn
Pros
Cons
- BERMUDAGRASS CONTROL: Selectively remove undesirable Bermudagrass weeds, without damaging your lawn
- FAST TREATMENT: Reduces the need for costly, time-intensive treatments
- USE ON: Cool-season grasses such as Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Ryegrass
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6. Runner-up – Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed
Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed is an excellent all-around fertilizer that will safely eliminate the natural weed growth in most lawn types, not just Bermuda grass, and has been proven effective in eliminating Bermudagrass weeds.
For those of you with under 6,000 square feet of lawn to spray, the comes in a 320oz premixed formula that attaches to your garden hose. Have more than 6000 square feet to cover? No problem. Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed can be purchased in granular form that can be applied with a spreader.
Pros
Cons
- Triple Action kills, prevents and feeds
- Kills the weeds you see and the ones you don't, including dandelions, chickweed, clover and most other common broadleaf weeds as listed
- Prevents crabgrass for 4 months and feeds to build thick green lawns
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7. Best Organic – Espoma Organic Weed Preventer
If I am completely honest, there aren’t many organic weed killers out there, and even fewer work well. Espoma is the exception to that rule. The natural formula creates a roadblock for weeds trying to take root.
Pros
Cons
- Made from corn gluten meal
- Feeds lawns to ensure a deep, green color and prevents weeds by inhibiting root development in seedlings
- Apply twice per year, early spring and fall
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Selecting a Pre-emergent, Post-emergent….or Both
Technically, all herbicide weed killers are, in fact, post-emergent. This means that active ingredients in either a granular or liquid formula kill unwanted weeds vegetation after they have emerged from the weed seeds.
That said, pre-emergent weed killers will create a barrier at the soil level that prevents the seeds of unwanted weeds from ever sprouting. Post-emergent weed killers are applied after weeds have taken root in your lawn.
- If you have a small patch of weeds or larger weeds growing in an otherwise healthy lawn, you may consider spraying the patch of weeds with a selective herbicide instead of treating the entire lawn. Not only will this save you time, but it also allows you to preserve unused portions of the product to be applied if more weeds pop up later.
- One thing to consider when choosing a pre-or post-emergent is that most pre-emergent killers will not only prevent unwanted weeds from sprouting but also keep any new Bermuda grass seed from sprouting as well. You don’t want to apply a pre-emergent until your Bermuda grass has taken root.
Tips for Applying Bermuda Grass Weed Killers
- Be proactive. As the first sign of seeing weeds on your lawn, try to spray it with a selective lawn weed killer. Catching the weed growth early in the growing cycle allows you to use a selective weed killer to kill whatever may be lurking in your grass. Using a selective killer to treat broadleaf weeds and other unwanted plants minimizes the damage you can do to your lawn, keeps the unwanted weeds from spreading, and will cut down the applications you need to make-saving you money.
- Read the product label! All weed killers are not the same. Make sure you use a weed killer where the label says it is safe for Bermuda grass. You will also want to make sure you are applying it correctly, or if you ha e purchased a concentrate, you are mixing it with water correctly.
- Take time applying liquid or granular pre-emergent herbicides to your soil and lawn. You do not want to accidentally spray or spread the formula that is intended for your lawn and lawn soil to your neighboring flower gardens. The active ingredients in these formulas will almost certainly kill any of these types of plants it comes into contact with.
- The square feet that a herbicide will cover varies from product to product. For some, this can be a significant factor in choosing a product. Reading the product description is essential to ensure your lawn has enough herbicide.
- Some products need to be applied when there is no rain in the extended forecast, while others require some moisture to kickstart the herbicide into action. Make sure you read the product label for application instructions for the best results.
Summary
All the products I reviewed will kill the weeds in your Bermuda lawn if applied correctly. Southern Ag weed Killer for Bermuda grass stood out to use as the top choice because of its ability to kill weeds quickly, after only one application.
Our best price pick, BioAdvanced Bermudagrass control for the lawn, will eradicate broadleaf weeds while not harming your lawn and can be purchased relatively cheaply.
Supplementing your fertilizer routine with a pre-or post-emergent herbicide to eliminate lawn weeds will help you achieve the lush, green Bermuda grass lawn your neighbors will envy.
Hi, Alex Kuritz here. Growing up I remember that my family had one of the best lawns in the neighborhood. Richly green and lush. I did a lot as I grew up in terms of caring and tending for not only my family’s lawn but also my neighbors. I can say I have years of experience, and I am here to share it with you.