I have bermuda in one of my raised beds. The roots can go down 18 inches. I've
decided this one particular bed is going to be turned over into a herb border
with nectar plants for hummingbirds. This winter I will have to completely dig
it all out, remove all the specimen plants, and really dig down till I find the
bermuda. Then, possibly each season (4 per year) I will have to go out with a
really strong sharpshooter and continue to dig it out till it no longer has a
tiny piece of root which will regenerate itself.

Of all turf grasses, I find this to be the MOST invasive. On the other hand, if
managed in a turf situation, it is greatly drought tolerant and doesn't have
many insect or disease problems to speak of.

So, that's what I'm going to do. There are herbicides you can use, but many
which kill grasses will also not be specific and can, with the slightest drift,
kill other specimen plants. I don't use them, I wish my conscience would go
away, but I don't use them because they are toxic.

As far as weed and feed products? The pre-emergent in Scotts 4 step program is
atrazine. It is found in our aquifer and is the largest concentration of
herbicide found in Barton Springs Pool, which is a natural pool in downtown
Austin.

Herbicides like that are very water soluble. Just make sure if you plan to use
any of them to read every word on the label first.

Victoria


On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 23:11:02 -0400, Lynda wrote:



Frogleg wrote:

On 27 Jul 2003 11:47:32 -0700, (Steve) wrote:

Aside from pulling everything out and starting over, how are people
managing the problem of all that grass growing thru-out their garden
of gazellas (or whatever flowers)???

Do we just go out every other weekend and pick a little so it never
gets out of hand?

Mulch. Judicious application of RoundUp, as Dave says, followed by
mulch. If annuals, or perennials with foliage that dies back
completely, more liberal use of RoundUp on *growing* grass after the
flower foliage is gone, followd by mulch.

Constant vigilance and regular weeding (accompanied by mulch) can do
it, too.

should i use a bit of mulch, too?