Justin Clark wrote:I have two large plots on a lot here in Kentucky. Both were plowed with a walk-behind last fall, and one was over-seeded with winter rye.
I've been working the non-seeded plot by hand, digging and pulling out the still-green wigs of bermuda grass that lie a few inches below the surface. This is painstaking and takes a long long time, but seems to be working pretty well.
In the other plot, the rye I seeded last year is growing vigorously. I've cut it once with a lawnmower, when it was about a foot tall. I plan to mow it at least once more, maybe twice. I mow so that the clippings cover the areas where the rye did not establish. It's my understanding that mowing will promote root growth, and also that rye has an allelopathic effect on some other plants, bermuda grass being one of those. After another month or so, I plan to till in the rye, and may plant another cover, eg buckwheat/cowpeas.
My hope is that shade from the rye, heavy rye root growth, the allelopathic effect of the rye clippings, and eventual tillage of the whole plant will greatly reduce the amount of bermuda grass in the plot. I've not found any account of this method being tried before. Has anyone here done such a thing? Any idea if it might work?
Thanks!
I have done this with some success. Our bermuda goes dormant in the fall...not the roots I think, but the grass itself is brown. I seeded one area heavily with rye grass and let it go to seed and then reseeded for two years. I didn't cut it, just let it lodge when it wanted and lay there as mulch until i reseeded on top. Two years later I don't see any sign of bermuda and am more hopeful planting that space.
What I like even better though is a mix of both rye grass and vetch. I am leaving things to grow for two seasons at least to be sure and because I have the space. I am not even cutting it back at all. The area in the picture also has tansy and some comfrey and a few persimmons are showing up. I have put a few more 'invasive' things from a plant exchange there...almost anything but bermuda is OK with me. i think you are correct, Justin, about shading it out...I think it just takes more than one season. My vetch patches were planted last fall son hopefully I can plant there next summer.