Fertilization is something vital for the growth of your Bermuda grass lawn because the natural sources of nutrients are no sufficient for giving it healthy root system plus thicker and green look. So your lawn needs proper fertilization from time to time to give it a carpet like green and thicker look. Lawn fertilization schedules differ from grass to grass and region to region. So in this post when to fertilize Bermuda grass in Texas, we will especially focus on the fertilization process for this grass type relevant to this geographical location.
First thing you need to consider is the fertilizer type. So carefully read the instruction printed on the bag of the fertilizer to understand the proper timing of it as well as the amount you need to apply per acre. Too much application of fertilizer can burn your lawn so it is important to understand fertilizer burn phenomenon that happens because of the excessive fertilization.
So it is important to understand the nutrients needs of your lawn soil and then supply it with that amount of nutrients to avoid fertilizer burn.
When to Fertilize Bermuda Grass in Texas
The first application of fertilization for Bermuda grass should be done in Feb or March with Pre-emergent fertilizer. The timing of 2nd fertilization should around Apr or May. The frequency of fertilization mainly depends on the type of fertilizer you use for supplying the Bermuda grass with nutrients it needs. Another factor is the soil type and your lawn current health if you have recently done some soil tests of your lawn. So then make your program according to the results of your soil tests.
The application frequency varies from fertilizer to fertilizer. Some fertilizers have longer residual period when compared to other types curtailing the application frequency per year.
Also Read: Best Fertilizer To Make Grass Green
Summer is the best time of the year to go for post-emergent fertilizer application. The best time for this application is around the mid of September. It is important to not go beyond September for the wellbeing of your lawn.
The fertilization frequency also depends of the grass types. Bermuda also has some hybrid varieties that need special care. These hybrid of Bermuda grass also demands for more frequent application of fertilizers when compared to other grass types. So it is important to properly understand the nutrients needs and way to accomplish these needs with proper application of fertilizers.
Your lawn also needs another pre-emergent fertilization if the fall season that is something around September to October.
In market the most common types of fertilizers you will find include;
- Nitrogen
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
Besides the aforementioned chemical fertilizers the following organic fertilizers also vital for healthy nourishment of your lawn;
- Soybean
- Cottonseed meal
Synthetic organic fertilizer includes;
- Cornmeal
- Urea
Urea comes with small amounts of nitrogen that is very easy to release for meeting the nutrients needs of your lawn in quick way.
Also Read: What Fertilizer Makes Grass Green?
A Guide For Annual Fertilization Schedule
- Feb to Mar: Pre-Emergent Fertilizer
- Mar to Apr: Pre-Emergent Fertilizer
- May: Post-emergent fertilizer
- June: Prebiotic Fertilizer with Grub Treatment
- July: Post-emergent fertilizer
- September: prebiotic treatment fertilizer
- October: Pre-emergent fertilizer
The above is a general guide for when to fertilizer your Bermuda grass lawn with fertilizer type. But you also need to properly look your lawn circumstances then decide whether a specific fertilization treatment is needed or not such as if your lawn have no weeds issue then the post-emergent application is not needed.
What’s the Best Time for Bermuda Grass Fertilization in Texas?
In above paragraphs we discuss the fertilization process by taking into account the grass type, season of the year and your lawn current situation generally. Let’s move to our main topic when to Fertilize Bermuda Grass in Texas and the types of fertilizers you need.
Feb to May
The first application should take place when your Bermuda grass leaves become green that is something happens in couple of weeks. The quantity of nitrogen you need to apply is .5 pound to 1 pound per 1000 sq. feet.
You need to test the soil to know how much nitrogen as well as lime your lawn needs. It is important to properly analyze the nitrogen needs of your lawn soil to avoid over application of nitrogen that can burn grass.
If you are using the fertilizer without soil testing then you need to apply full amount of nitrogen phosphorus potassium (N-P-K) in ratio of 4:1:2, the best example which is 16-4-8. You can add the lime also if it is needed.
If you want to understand how to apply one pound of nitrogen in every 1000 sq. feet then the simple formula is to divide 100 by the first number in fertilizer ratio.
So in the aforementioned formula 16-4-8 you need to divide 100 by 6 so the result we get is 6.25 pounds. So you need to apply 6.25 pounds of fertilizer to every 1000 sq. feet of your lawn.
June to Aug
In this period you also need to apply .5 pound to 1 pound of Nitrogen in every 1000 sq. feet of your lawn with at least frequency of every 4 to 8 weeks.
Sep to Nov
If you notice that your lawn is potassium deficient then in September apply one pound of potassium K20 per 1000 sq. feet of your lawn. You can use the following types;
- Muriate of potash (0-0-60)
- Potassium sulphate (0-0-50)
- Sul-Po Mag (0-0-22).
December to Feb
It is important to avoid fertilization of Bermuda grass that has not yet been over-seeded. You need to apply 0.5 pound of nitrogen only to over-seeded Bermuda grass lawn per 1000 sq. feet in the months of Dec and to Jan.
Also Read: When To Use Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer?