Bermudagrass – Chemical Removal

Q: Bermuda grass has started growing in several small areas of my zoysia lawn. Is there a chemical that I can spray that will kill the bermuda and not harm the zoysia?

A: There are a few chemicals available to landscapers that will severely weaken bermudagrass in zoysia but none to my knowledge will actually kill it. Since bermudagrass greens up before zoysia, try this: put on a rubber glove then pull a cotton sock over your protected hand. Dip the sock in a glyphosate herbicide solution (Roundup, etc) and wipe it on the visible green bermudagrass patches. This is easy to accomplish and may give zoysia the advantage it needs to overcome the bermudagrass.