How To Get Rid Of Bermuda Grass In Flower Beds

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Bermuda grass is durable and resilient. It fares well in warm conditions, provided it has good drainage, and for many, it’s even the grass of choice for their lawn. 

Nevertheless, it’s understandably problematic when it sprouts up in your once well-balanced flower beds. Its invasive nature means that it won’t be long before it spreads and entirely dominates them. 

Luckily, it’s very much possible to remove Bermuda grass from your flower bed.

Below, I’ve shared various methods that you might want to look into, alongside some much-needed clarity around how the Bermuda grass initially came to be!

So, how do you get rid of Bermuda grass in flower beds? You can get rid of Bermuda grass with herbicide (be it homemade or store-bought, mulch, or even by digging it out.

Read up on each of these methods below, along with factors you ought to keep in mind throughout the process. 

Why Have I Got Bermuda Grass Growing In My Flower Beds?

You likely have Bermuda grass growing in your flower beds due to increased exposure to sunlight or if it has grown nearby, and invaded!

Bermuda grass is a perennial and thrives in high heat conditions.

So, its presence could have been evoked by a particularly long, warm summer or exposure of your flower bed to an abundance of intense sunlight during the day.

Additionally, if you intentionally planted it across your lawn but failed to instill thick barriers to control its perimeter, you may see it wander over to invade your flower beds. 

How To Effectively Remove Bermuda Grass From A Flower Bed

Removing Bermuda grass is quite an effort, but one that is realistic enough and absolutely worth doing.

By adhering to just one of the below approaches, your garden will be back to its familiar clean aesthetic before you know it.

Be Careful 

If Bermuda grass has infiltrated your flower beds, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t harm surrounding plant life as you strive to remove it.

As a very first step, I recommend that you become completely familiar with your flower bed.

Learn which flowers lie where and how close they are to the Bermuda grass.

Then, when you proceed to tackle the grass, you’ll be in a prime position to exercise utmost precision. 

Vinegar 

Vinegar, our versatile domestic buddy, is a tried and tested plant and pesticide killer.

Its ability to kill extends to Bermuda grass too.

Simply whip up a solution made up of one part vinegar to four parts water in a spray bottle.

Spray the Bermuda grass thoroughly, but be mindful not to allow the solution to come into contact with surrounding flowers and plants.

Reason being vinegar is non-discriminatory and threatens to harm any plants it comes into contact with. 

The sheer resilience of Bermuda grass means that you’ll probably need to respray the solution every couple of days for a few weeks before it’s truly eliminated.

Hang in there; it will happen! 

By Hand 

Another way to remove the Bermuda grass is to simply dig it out of the flower bed.

This solution is popular amongst gardeners by way of its hands-on and eco-friendly nature.

Be sure to dig out its entire root system and rhizomes to prevent its regrowth, and of course, be mindful not to harm the roots of any surrounding plants.

You’ll undoubtedly work up a sweat, but the meticulous results will be worth it.

I recommend using a digging tool to help you out.   

Herbicide

If you prefer, you could head to the local garden store and pick up a bottle of herbicide.

Just follow the instructions on the bottle, which are usually rather straightforward.

A post-emergent herbicide will enable you to remove existing Bermuda grass, but as with vinegar, expect to respray several times before the herbicide has the desired effect. 

Pre-emergent herbicides are even better.

It’s no secret that prevention trumps cure, and by applying a preventative solution to inhibit Bermuda grass from growing in the first place, you’ll be doing your future gardening self a considerable favor. 

If you can opt for an organic solution. These pose the least risk to the environment and are the most sustainable of the bunch. 

Mulch

Bermuda grass thrives in warm conditions.

Mulching it will quickly deem it deficient in sunlight and hinder it from growing full stop.

To really ensure that sunlight isn’t able to penetrate it, be sure to apply a thick layer of mulch – at least a few inches worth.

Not only will the grass struggle to find the energy it needs to grow, but it will also essentially be smothered to death. 

How Long Does It Take To Remove Bermuda Grass from a Flower Bed?

If you’re digging the Bermuda grass out of the flower bed, it’ll be gone as soon as you’re finished pulling it up. However, if you’re using a herbicide or have chosen to mulch it, you can expect the removal process to take two to three weeks in total.

Nonetheless, it may be less or more time, depending on the degree of the infestation at hand. Patience and adaptability are a must! 

Things To Consider When Removing Bermuda Grass From A Flower Bed

It’s a Perennial 

Bermuda grass is a perennial, meaning that it returns at around the same time each year.

Thus, if you tackle it at the surface level alone and fail to remove every trace of its roots and rhizomes, it’ll be back the following year in the same place at same time. No pressure! 

Be Speedy 

Bermuda grass spreads rapidly, becoming more and more resilient and widespread by the day.

Hence, you’ll need to remove it as soon as you spot it to avoid dealing with a fully-fledged infestation. 

Fertilizer 

Ensure that your flower bed is well-filled with the flowers and plants that you want it to contain.

Don’t leave room for anything else to grow. Bermuda grass is less likely to attempt an invasion if there’s simply no room for it. 

The Environment 

If Bermuda grass is becoming a real problem for you, you may want to take a good look at your garden on the whole.

Bermuda grass loves the heat and doesn’t fare so well in the shade.

If your flower bed isn’t shaded, now is the time to explore what its relocation would entail. The more shade, the less Bermuda grass! 

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