Bermuda grass containment in a frost-free area

Be prepared to dig, and redig. Dig out every little tiny bit, every single white stolon. In the months and years that follow, each time you see a Bermuda sprout, dig it out, including the white stolon. When you pull out a long white stolon intact and unbroken, reward yourself with a victory shout!

Use physical barriers. Choose the widest you can possibly find. For the Community Garden we used a product that was called Gardener Contractor Landscape Edging. The wide barrier will slow how fast the Bermuda invades, and will make it easier to cut it out of your growing area.

Grow great soil. The better my soil gets — the richer, the fluffier — the easier it is to pull out the long pieces of invading Bermuda.

Shade helps. Biointensive spacing, as described by John Jeavons in How To Grow More Vegetables, is designed such that the foliage of one mature plant touches the foliage of its neighbor. Thus the soil is shaded. In shade, Bermuda grows spindly and is easier to remove.

Mulch helps. When Bermuda has to grow up through mulch, it doesn’t cling to the soil very well and is easier to remove. Plus the soil texture beneath the mulch is vastly improved, making it much easier to pull the Bermuda.

Spot irrigation helps. In perennial beds, while your shrubs and trees are getting established, water only where the plants are. That way, the Bermuda can’t thrive in between the juvenile plants.