Bermudagrass is one of the most widely used lawn grasses in the South. It has a very deep root system and is drought- and heat-tolerant. The leaves are not cold-tolerant and turn brown when the temperature approaches freezing. Its vigorous, creeping growth habit makes it a weed that invades nonbermudagrass lawns and flower beds. The slightly hairy, gray-green stems, or stolons, creep along the soil surface and are 6 to 18 inches long.
To prevent bermudagrass from invading your lawn from other lawns, mow higher than 1 1/2 inches, spot-treat as needed each summer, and water adequately during the summer. Avoid spreading creeping stems to uninfested areas with the lawnmower. Fertilize more heavily in the fall than at any other time of year if you have a cool-season grass.