How do I get rid of Bermuda grass that is growing at the base of my pygmy palm?

Question

I live in Mesa Az. We have successfully treated all the other Bermuda grass in the area but are hesitant to around the palm for fear of killing the palm.
Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

a couple of ways.

a) pull all the grass and roots that you can by hand.
b) use round-up and apply it with a paint brush only on the blades of grass, and be careful not to touch the plant.

Answer 2

I use to live in Phoenix & Gilbert Az, so I understand the problem that you are having with Bermuda grass in your ornamental beds. This grass spreads via underground rhizomes and above ground solons. You need a barrier that extends below the surface to keep these horizontal Bermuda grass structures out of your plant beds. The Ortho Grass-B-Gone is a good product to use in an ornamental bed with broadleafed flowers, but it will take two to three apps to remove Bermudagrass. You can just use RoundUp on the Bermuda grass at the base of your Palm tree if you do not have any other ornamental plants in this bed. RoundUp is a non-selective herbicide that will kill most plants, but it must be absorbed by the plant's leaves to be translocated to the roots where it kills. Getting RoundUp on the trunk of your Palm will not harm it. RoundUp breaks down rather quickly in the soil and roots are very selective as to what they will absorb, so RoundUp on the soil at the base of the Palm also will do no harm to the Palm. Just keep it off the Palm's fronds and you will be fine. Tie the Palm's fronds up while you spray and let the product dry before you untie the fronds if they are low enough to impede the spraying or touch the ground where you have sprayed.

Answer 3

Bermuda grass is the bain of my existence so I know how you feel. Pulling is a good way to temporarily get rid of the grass, but it will grow back in no time. There is a product on the market called Grass-B-Gone by Ortho and it is supposed to kill only grass and not plants, however, it will kill any grass and that includes ornamentals. Anyhow, it is considerably safer to trees and plants than other grass, weed, and plant killers that kill everything.
http://www2.yardiac.com/long.asp?item_id=196

Good Luck

Answer 4

quit poisoning the ground and plants. apply some elbow grease and dig it out.