Something dead in dormant bermuda

10 years ago

Good Morning,

My wife and I recently bought a home and the yard is going to be quite a project since it has been severely neglected. We're in the DFW area, so the Bermuda is still dormant. However, there are dark/black areas throughout the front yard, that I believe may be dead Bermuda, but I'm not 100% sure. Hoping it's nothing disease-related.

I've attached a few pictures of the yard. The first includes the neighbor's yard to help show the contrast (not that it is necessary). Then there is a closer up picture of a black area, and then a picture of some of the pieces I pulled out.

What can I do about this? I'm familiar with the general rules of thumb for maintaining a Bermuda yard, but I'm not sure fertilizing, aerating, and deep watering once a week when the Bermuda starts to green up is going to be a solution for this large of a problem. Or perhaps it is. Any guidance/advise/tips/comments are appreciated!

Michael

Comments (6)

mikealltogether
Original Author
10 years ago
Second close-up picture.
mikealltogether
Original Author
10 years ago
Pulled out dead stuff.
mikealltogether
Original Author
10 years ago
One last picture of the dead stuff up close.
joneboy
10 years ago
Wow black and red do not look good on bermuda. This yard looks under fed to me. I think a soil test would be a good start, and start killing those broad leaf weeds. Once you get soil test back follow recommendations and go heavy on the nitrogen to get the lawn grown in. Also, this could be Spring Dead Spot areas usually start off straw colored and turn black as healthy bermuda is greening up. Nothing can be done to stop the decline, but a pH around 6.0 and keeping potassium levels in the adequate range helps lessen the severity of the disease going forward. I would take those plants to the county extension office and ask them what they think is going on.
apundt-tx
10 years ago
Looks like bermuda decline or maybe somebody spilled gas filling up the mower.
You might try looking up google earth at the street view and see what the lawn looked like back then at that spot.
joneboy
10 years ago
Bermuda decline is more a disease of putting green height turf that shows symptoms in the summer. Winter kill and spring dead spot are two problems that begin to show themselves as the bermuda begins to green up in the spring.