Planting

• Bermuda grass needs a lot of sunlight to create a healthy, attractive lawn. If your lawn is well-shaded, you may want to consider a different type of grass. Shade makes Bermuda grass thin and full of weeds. Bermuda grass spreads by above-ground stems called stolons and spreading roots called rhizomes. You will need to work hard to prevent it from creeping into unwanted areas. The best time to rid areas of Bermuda grass is during the winter, when it is not growing and spreading.
  
  

Watering and Fertilizing

• Bermuda grass does not have to be watered very often. It can grow without rain or watering for at least two weeks. Be careful when you apply fertilizer because this grass grows and spreads easily. Use a spreader in the spring to apply lawn fertilizer that has fast-releasing and timed-releasing nitrogen to keep the lawn fertilized for two to three months.
  
  

Mowing

• Mowing a lawn of Bermuda grass can be tough. Buy a reel mower instead of a rotary mower. The lawn needs to be cut where the blades of grass are from 1 to 1.5 inches tall. Because this is not very tall, the grass can often be scalped if you do not have a reel mower. Scalped means the grass is broken near the ground, and it makes an unhealthy and unsightly lawn. If there is a drought, set the mower height to 2 inches for a healthy lawn. Also, keep the mower blades sharp.
  
  

Unwanted Bermuda Grass

• If you have Bermuda grass growing in unwanted areas, it can be very difficult to remove. You cannot just pull it and hope it is permanently gone because its rhizomes grow so deeply. If you till the area with Bermuda grass, it most likely will multiply. The best way to rid an area of unwanted Bermuda grass is with herbicides. If you have other grass or plants among the Bermuda grass that you want to keep, check with your local plant nursery owner and see what herbicide they recommend, so you do not harm the other plants or grass. It is also recommended to mow the grass, wait a few days, then apply the herbicide. One herbicide recommended by garden enthusiasts is Ornamec.
  
  A non-chemical method to try is to put black plastic over the area of Bermuda grass. On top of the plastic, place about 6 inches of mulch. This may work, but the grass could still spread to other areas.