Bermuda Grass
LawnCynodon dactylon, Couch Grass, Wiregrass, Devil's Grass, Bahama Grass, Bermuda Quick Grass, Bermuda Grass, Bermuda-Grass, Bermudagrass, Bermunda Quick Grass
Dominant warm-season grass for zones 7–11 (some varieties to zone 6). Dormancy: goes dormant and turns brown when soil temps drop below 10°C (typically first hard frost). Aggressive green-up in spring when soil warms above 16°C consistently. Spring green-up task: rake out dead material after dormancy, fertilize with high-nitrogen feed when fully green. Summer peak: the most heat and drought-tolerant turfgrass; thrives 25–38°C. Mow very short (0.5–1.5 in for hybrid, 1.5–2.5 in for common). Overseeding with ryegrass in fall gives winter color but must be eliminated in spring. Dormancy trigger: consistent nights below 10°C for 2+ weeks. Fall prep: last fertilization 6 weeks before first frost; do not fertilize with high-nitrogen after mid-summer (promotes winterkill).
When to sow Bermuda grass
Sow 4–10 weeks after your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to establish and care for Bermuda grass
- 1
Sow in warm soil
Sow from late spring once the soil stays above 18 °C. It is the most heat- and drought-tolerant lawn grass, thriving at 25–38 °C.
- 2
Mow short
Mow at 1–4 cm for hybrid types and 4–6 cm for common Bermuda, often enough that you never take off more than a third.
- 3
Spring green-up
It turns brown once nights stay below about 10 °C. In spring, rake out dead material and feed once it is fully green.
- 4
Stop feeding early
Make the last feed about six weeks before your first frost; late nitrogen leaves it prone to winter kill.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
-5–42 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
How Tomatograph watches your Bermuda grass
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- 30 °C or more with under 5 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysDeep-watering reminder before the lawn goes into heat stress.
- 3 nights at 0 °C or below in the forecastDormancy notice: stop regular watering, mowing and feeding until spring green-up.
- 30–60 days before your first frostAutumn prep window: aerate, overseed bare patches and apply a slow-release feed.
- Over 20 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysTells you to skip irrigation until the ground dries out.
Bermuda Grass questions
- When should I sow Bermuda grass?
- Sow 4–10 weeks after your last spring frost.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).