Bermuda Grass Pastures
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Bermuda grass is a warm season, perennial grass that has been found growing in many native forms all over the world. Bermuda is a drought tolerant, fast growing, full sun grass and can grow on soils of low fertility as long as they are well draining. This is a tenacious grass and in one form or another is found growing in approximately one third of the USA at this time (warmer areas).

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Bermuda Grass Growth Areas & Characteristics Once established bermuda grass dominates the pasture providing growth in medium fertility and drought areas. If fertilized and irrigated it grows prolifically and needs to be harvested approximately every five weeks for the maximum forage benefit. The growth area for bermuda is shown in the map to the left here.

New pastures can be overseeded with other grasses while the Bermuda is establishing a stand. It grows best in well-drained grounds and high heat and actually needs a lot of sunlight and is not a shade loving grass.

Fertilization usage rates is around 80 LB/A in the beginning of the growth period and add according to usage (hay cuttings). For haying purposes fertilization should be added after each cutting.  Keep in mind that higher fertilization also can increase insect problems. Particular interest should be paid to low lying areas where Bermuda is grown because over fertilizing will result in runoff into water sources and fertilizers should be used conservatively in these areas.

SEEDED Pasture Varieties Additional Information

SEEDED VARIETIES: Great Choices!
NO EXPENSIVE SPRIGGING REQUIRED!

• Ranchero Frio - A Blend of Forage Bermudas. - Contains Giant & Cheyenne!
  Read more about Ranchero Frio Bermuda Grass.
  Our BEST Pasture Blend !!!
   
• CHEYENNE & CHEYENNE II
  New improved Bermudas with excellent cold tolerance.
  Read more about Cheyenne Bermuda Grass or Cheyenne II Bermuda Grass .
   
• Bermuda Giant -- Giant Bermuda Grass - One step up from Common Bermuda for pasture forage.
  BUY GIANT Bermuda Grass from Seedland.
  Read more about Giant Bermuda.
  
• Seedland Forage Bermuda Grass Blend. A custom blend of Giant and common Bermuda including hulled and un-hulled common bermuda. - Coated seed.
   
• Sahara Bermuda is an excellent economical choice in Bermuda grasses for a seeded pasture. Sahara Bermuda Grass can produce more in forage / hay production over the Arizona common variety; in addition it has more leaves in lower part of the plant resulting in a higher quality hay that often brings a premium over common. Costing only slightly more than common, Sahara can pay for the higher price in the first year alone.
  BUY SAHARA from Seedland.
   
• Common Bermuda - Common Bermuda Grass is used for forage pastures, lawns and erosion control. Planted on millions of acres.
• Mohawk Bermuda Grass Blend - Is a high yielding bermuda grass that is excellent for grazing and hay production.
• Wrangler Bermuda Grass - This bermuda forage grass out performs other bermuda grasses in the tough to grow in United States transition zone.

Common Bermuda Grass

Common Bermuda grass was originally grown for pasturage and imported for that use. Common Bermuda stands have higher nutritional value than the other warmer season grasses grown in the U.S. and with proper fertilization and soil additives are still maintaining their hold on the forage scene. The improvement and hybridization of the Bermuda grasses over the years has led to increases forage potential and outstanding qualities for each new variety with extensive use for hay production in particular.

Coastal Bermuda Grass ( Sprigged Only)

The next step up from the common is the coastal Bermuda which was developed in Georgia and became so popular that the acreage for this variety is still the highest in the southern states at this time. It far outperforms any of the other warm season grasses presently planted. Newer and even better improvements have been made in cultivars now available for new pasture planting and updating older stands that might have been killed out through disease or temperature damage. Many are hardier to cooler temperatures, have faster growth, better palatability, earlier greening in the spring. The various varietal improvements still retain the original tenacity for growth, drought resistant qualities, and the thick dense sod for which Bermuda is well known.

Newer pastures are being established in the improved varieties which are usually sprigged instead of seeded. Low acid soils with a pH lower than 5.5 can grow Bermuda but the addition of lime can make the production value much better. Most of the newer varieties for haying and forage are from vegetative sources. They are high in nutrition and fast growing on a variety of soils from sandy to clays of low fertility. Most soils must be limed to derive the most benefit from Bermuda plantings.

Although drought tolerant it responds well to irrigation and better fertilization is needed for haying purposes. For small well managed horse pastures the newer Bermudas will provide the high rate of forage that a horse needs daily and covers the ground thick enough to keep down the weeds and ingested dirt horses so often consume when grazing pastures to close. As with all forages the best practice will be in establishing rotational grazing areas to cut down on overgrazing and better sod formation for the constant traffic of the livestock. In many areas of the south the grass can remain green year round. Bermuda can readily take over a stand of other grasses or legumes and pure stands have to be watched for invasion of another neighboring variety.

The more common Bermudas take less fertilizer than many other forage grasses and are easily maintained without a lot of work on a managers part. This grass is often more disease and insect resistant than some of the more improved varieties that are grown vegetatively.  This doesn't apply to all varieties as some do have disease and insect improvements.  Most vegetative pasture varieties are still sprigged or disked in from cuttings. They become excellent producers of hay and forage material when properly managed.

Bermuda Grass - Additional Pasture Maintenance

Adapted to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world and in the U.S. in the mid to lower south and from the East Coast into Texas. Bermuda grows best in soils of 5.6 to 6.2 and with soils that are of low to medium fertility. These grasses can withstand drought and colder conditions by going into dormancy and returning with the climate changes.

Seeding can be done with common Bermuda grass and germinates at high temperatures as soon as the soil reaches about 80 degrees. Seeded at the rate of 5-10 lb. per acre for the hulled seed and at 10-15 lb. per acre for the un-hulled. Planting can be done April 15 though May the 30^th. Some seeders can broadcast, seed and pack at one time saving time and keeping the soil from loosing too much moisture.  Improved coated seeds are generally planted at 10 lbs. acre rates.

Establishment of Bermuda grass can be through seeding of the common Bermuda and sprigging is the best method for the establishment of hybrid improved pastures. The vegetative sprigs are cut through haying and thrown out ahead of disking and lightly cut into the soil and culti-packed immediately or the sprigs are removed by cuttings from the source with roots attached and are then planted by a sprigging machine in rows or broadcast and disked into the soil (lightly) with the tips above the soil line. Row sprigging will result in using far less of the vegetation and still result in a full even distribution and compact growth.

Maintenance requirements are fairly low for the Bermuda grasses with the emphasis being of soil testing and additions of fertilizer, lime and trace minerals that might be needed. Cuttings for hay and silage will of course have to be done according to schedule with fertilization following. Although Bermuda grasses are drought tolerant irrigation will go a long way in the dryer seasons toward full productivity. Occasionally old stands will need new growth added because of disease or weather factors.  Also see our maintenance page for more practices.

Pests that can invade Bermuda grasses are chinch bugs, mole crickets, and spider mites and army worms.

Diseases that may injure Bermuda grasses are rust disease

Weeds are generally not a problem except in the seedling stage and applications of herbicides for the broadleaf plants can be applied according to the instructions as soon as the grass is planted. Bermuda grasses are too aggressive and thick growing weeds rarely have a chance to invade their space and the taller variety shade out most of the weed sunlight. If there is a problem early mowing in the spring should help alleviate the weeds from seeding and spreading for the next year.  Bahiagrass is a weed in a Bermuda hay field.  Chemicals are available to help in control the Bahia.

Watering Bermuda grass if it is available can only add to the production and even though Bermuda is drought tolerant in years of good seasonal rains and good fertilization it will increase the productivity especially when the purpose is for hay and silage production.

Resource - Bermudagrass Varieties for Top Quality and Forage Yields:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/DS081

Bermuda Grass - Pasture Varieties

Russell is one of the newer varieties of Bermudas for the forage industry. The major advantage of this variety is that it can green earlier and provide forage ahead of the time it takes the others to come out of dormancy. The Russell variety must be sprigged in the spring and will produce by late summer.

Other Varieties are: (Also visit our Bermuda variety page)

• Coastal is the older variety of the Bermudas and is high in protein has more leaf growth than the common Bermuda.
• Tifton 85
• Tifton 44 has a better hardiness to cooler weather.
• Tifton 78 is a high quality forage producer.
• Florakirk Bermuda has a high yield and digestibility and more cold hardy than many others do.
• Coastcross
• Past Rico - Seeded variety
• Ranchero Frio, Cheyenne & Wrangler - Improved seeded varieties.
• Grazer
• Lancaster
• Common Bermuda is native to all the tropical and sub-tropical locals of the world. Planted by seed.
  

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