How Quickly will Bermuda Grass Spread? : Top 4 Tips

Bermuda grass also goes by the Scientific name Cynodon dactylon is a turfgrass species that is extremely popular worldwide for its fast-growing nature. This grass variety can survive in almost any kind of soil, and when the conditions are favorable, it grows denser, fuller, and greener quite rapidly. 

Owing to its fast-spreading nature, the grass can not only grow quickly but also cover bare spots speedily, and give the lawn a lush appeal. However, when it comes to this, do you know “how quickly will Bermuda grass spread,” and what can you do to fasten the process? Let us find out.

After the germination of Bermuda seeds in about a week, it can take nearly six more weeks for Bermuda to spread and become fully established. To make sure the grass spreads faster, water the lawn at a depth of 1-inch at least two times each day. Along with this, mow the lawn frequently and feed the soil with NPK fertilizer every 6-8 weeks.

Does Bermuda Grass Spread Quickly?

If you are searching for how quickly will Bermuda grass spread, you clearly know that Bermuda grass does spread quickly. It does so with the help of runners and rhizomes. The former is also known as stolon, and it is basically an above-ground shoot that grows laterally from its main Bermuda plant. This shoot bears nodes at intervals, and from these, new Bermuda grass plants grow.

Unlike Stolon which occurs above the ground, Rhizomes grow beneath the soil surface. In fact, they can grow nearly six inches deep under the ground. Both Stolon and Rhizome together, enable Bermuda grass to grow and spread quickly, thereby covering the entire lawn beautifully. Due to this fast-spreading nature of the grass variety, it is also used to fill in bare spots in yards and lawns.

How Fast Will Bermuda Grass Spread?

When you seed your lawn with Bermuda seeds and take care of it well, the seeds usually germinate within the first seven days. After the germination, it takes about six to seven more weeks for the grass variety to become completely established and spread well. So, for your question – How fast will Bermuda grass spread, a clear answer is 6-7 weeks.

That being said, this is not an exact duration. There are specific types of Bermuda grasses out there, and their spreading period can depend on these varieties. Along with this, several other factors play a role in the same. Some of these include:

• The soil quality in the lawn,
• Temperatures during the period,
• Amount of sunlight exposure,
• Planting period,
• Regular watering,
• Mowing of the lawn, etc.

Therefore, if you want your Bermuda grass to spread faster, make sure it gets all the required conditions. Most importantly, the Bermuda seeds must already be planted during the peak growing season in spring. Also keep in mind that once you get a fully-established turf, it requires care and maintenance too.

How Much Can Bermuda Grass Spread?

Now that you know your answer to “how quickly will Bermuda grass spread,” let us see how much it can spread. A straightforward answer to this is that the grass variety can spread as far as it is allowed to. As mentioned earlier, this rampant-spreading grass kind does so with help of a certain system that is made up of runners and rhizomes.

These two are the reasons why Bermuda grass is one of the most preferred lawn grass varieties for yard owners all over the world. It is especially true if they want to establish a lush green lawn all from scratch, and as soon as possible. While this fast-spreading nature of the grass is an exceptional characteristic, it can also become a nightmare for many. Yes, Bermuda can also turn into a gardening nightmare.

Let us tell you why. For areas such as driveways and gardens, where the grass is not needed, it can act as a highly invasive weed. It is because if left unchecked, through its stolon and rhizome system, the grass can easily and wildly proliferate beyond the lawn. Of course, you can easily avoid this by edging the areas where you do not want Bermuda to reach.

Top 4 Tips to Get Bermuda Grass to Spread Quickly

Clearly, Bermuda grass can spread quite quickly, and for as much area as it gets. However, there are certain conditions it needs for the same. The tips we are about to discuss below are based on the same. By following these, you are sure to have a beautiful, lush green, and fully-established lawn quickly and easily. Let us take a look at them:

Tip 1: Make Sure to Establish Bermuda Grass at The Right Time

When you seed your lawn with Bermuda grass, make sure to do so at the right time. For those who are wondering what time it is, it grows the best when planted in late spring – at the end of the peak growing season. In simple words, it should be planted before in a way that it gets the time to thrive, spread faster, and grow in the peak season.

Make sure never to plant the seeds during extreme conditions – during the frosty winters and the extremely hot summers. It is because when the temperatures are too high or low, it may hinder the growth of the grass kind. Also, when you establish the seeds, make sure to spread them well, and rake them into the soil.

Tip 2: Always Water the Bermuda Lawn Regularly and Properly

Another thing you need to do for making sure your Bermuda grass spreads quickly is water it well. Start with watering the newly-seeded lawn well. Keep in mind your work does not end here. You will have to water it for the following days too. Make sure to do it regularly if you wish to facilitate proper root establishment and shoot spreading.

Without proper irrigation of Bermuda grass, there will be no appropriate root anchorage leading to the delayed or little growth of the grass type. While doing so, you should also keep a note of how much you will water the lawn. Since the newly-seeded Bermuda grass needs a lot of water, you must water the yard twice per day in the beginning.

Then, once Bermuda grows and is about an inch tall, you can reduce this frequency to just once each day. Also, never soak your lawn with more than an inch of water. It is because the soil would not be able to soak it up and it would lead to overwatering and poor drainage. All of this can result in yellowing of grass blades, degraded soil quality, poor Bermuda growth, and a lot more.

Tip 3: Feed Your Lawn with Enough NPK Fertilizer Every 6-8 Weeks

The next tip we have for you is to feed the soil with fertilizer every six to eight weeks. Make sure to do it especially during the growing period. It is because this is the time when the grass grows the most and needs the necessary nutrients for it. With enough of them fed to the soil, your lawn is sure to become beautiful and green.

Now, let us come to what kind of fertilizer you will need for Bermuda to spread quickly. Typically, NPK fertilizer works the best for this kind of grass variety. NPK here stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. However, we do suggest that before you use the fertilizer, do a soil test to know what kind of nutrients it lacks.

It will also help you find out in which ratio you will need the NPK fertilizer – 4:1:2 or 16:4:8. Both these ratios are perfect for fuller, thicker, and greener Bermuda grass growth. Feeding the soil with these will also ensure the growth of weeds to some extent and keep your lawn grass away from a variety of diseases.

Tip 4: Mow Your Lawn Regularly and At a Low Length

The last tip we have for you today is to mow the lawn regularly. Make sure to do it at least twice per week and at a low height of one inch. Doing so will favor the lateral spreading of Bermuda over vertical, thereby giving you a fuller and greener lawn.

However, while the Bermuda grass is young, avoid mowing as at this time, the root anchorage of the grass is not too strong. Mowing at this stage will only harm the grass and prevent its spread. Therefore, once the proper root anchorage develops and the grass grows a little, mow it religiously. 

Final Thoughts

With this, we hope you have your answer to “how quickly will Bermuda grass spread?” To sum it up, once you seed the lawn, give a week for Bermuda to germinate. After this week, it will take nearly six more weeks for the grass to spread well and your lawn to become fully established. During this time, and even after it, you need to maintain the grass. Do this by mowing it regularly, watering it adequately, feeding the soil with fertilizer, and doing everything you can to provide Bermuda grass with favorable growing conditions.