You need to use the best fertilizer for your Bermuda grass to get a beautiful lawn. Don’t fall for the market hype that many products in local gardening stores use. Not all of them are the same. The difference between a quality product and an average one can be drastic.
When you are looking for fertilizer, it is crucial to make an educated decision since you usually will not see the results (good or bad) until many days or even weeks later. I’ve done the hard work for you to find the highest quality products.
We have plenty of other articles on how to care for different grass types. Also check out our more comprehensive guide on how to raise healthy Bermuda grass.
Keep reading below to see our top recommendations and a short guide to help you develop a luscious green property.
Comparing Our Top 3 Recommendations
At A Glance
- Andersons PGF Complete
- Lawnstar Liquid Food
- Simple Lawn Solutions – Natural Liquid Fertilizer
- 7-1-2 Anderson’s Innova Organic Nutrient
- Greenview Fairway Formula Food
These are the are the products that we recommend. They have the correct N-P-K ratio, are easy to apply, and use quality ingredients. Please keep reading below to learn more about each one.
Best Fertilizers for Bermuda Grass
The Andersons PGF Complete
If you are looking for a dry granular fertilizer, then this is the one to get. It never fails to bring back a luscious green lawn when used correctly.
Features
- This product has the perfect N-P-K ratio (16-4-8).
- Contains slow release nitrogen in the form of methylene urea that will slowly release nitrogen over time with prolonged exposure to water.
- Per manufacturer this 18lb bag covers up to 5,000 square feet. Based on my own usage, this covers much less area, more like 3,000-4,000 square feet. I would recommend putting your spreader on the 2.5 setting.
- Small granules allow it to spread evenly. I would recommend watering shortly after application to prevent the granules from being carried away from the spread location because of wind.
- This product contains Humic Acid, which helps to balance the pH of your soil. Grass only takes up nutrients when the soil is at the correct pH level.
Pros
- Ideal N-P-K ratio
- Slow release nitrogen
- Contains humic acid for pH control
- Small granules spread evenly
- Great value
Cons
- Not found at most retailers
- Does not cover as much area as labelled
Lawnstar Liquid Food
Lawnstar’s liquid food is my favorite fertilizer and is also incredibly popular with its customers. If you are okay with a spray fertilizer then I would highly recommend this product to help rejuvenate your turf.
Features:
- Lawnstar’s product has the perfect N-P-K ratio of 16-4-8.
- This product is composed of both fast and slow release nitrogen, which allows your turf to stay green longer. It contains 6% slow release nitrogen (in the form of urea triazone solution)
- It is fortified with natural seaweed extract to maximize bioavailability for the roots, which ensures that the roots take up all of the macronutrients
- This concentrated solution treats properties that span up to 4,000 square feet.
- The end of this sprayer can fit with any typical garden hose, which makes applying it relatively simple.
Pros
- Perfect N-P-K ratio
- Slow release nitrogen
- 4,000 Square Foot Size Capacity
- Optimized with seaweed extract
- Great value
Cons
- Not found at most retailers
Simple Lawn Solutions – Natural Liquid Nutrients
Simple Lawn Solution’s liquid fertilizer is exactly that – simple and effective. I prefer having some slow release forms of nitrogen in the products itself, which this product does not have. Nonetheless, it works great!
Features
- Simple Lawn Solutions’ product contains a balanced N-P-K ratio(16-4-8)
- It can cover roughly 3,500 square feet
- It is sold at multiple different size capacities – from 32 ounces to 2.5 gallons
- It uses organic feed grade ingredients without any harsh chemicals.
- This company is a family owned business that has been in business for over 25 years and the product is manufactured in the US.
Pros
- Optimal NPK ratio
- Four Size Options Available
- Manufacture in the US
- Organic ingredients
Cons
- Not sold at most retailers
- No sustained release nitrogen
7-1-2 Anderson’s Innova Organic Fertilizer
Anderson’s Innova Organic Fertilizer is a great organic product that household with young children or pet that enjoy playing on the lawn should consider getting. It will bring your property to life and you can rest as ease knowing that it will not cause any toxicities to your loved ones.
Features
- Anderson’s product will cover roughly about 4,000 square feet
- Slow-release organic nutrients with 6% water insoluble nitrogen
- The Innova Organic Fertilizer is completely plant-derived (from soybean meal) and does not contain any manure, waste parts or animal products. It is safe to use around children or pets
- The N-P-K ratio of 7-1-2 is very close to the ideal ratio.
Pros
- Good N-P-K ratio
- Completely organic – safe around children and pets
- Plant-derived
- Slow-release
Cons
- Not sold at many retailers
- Expensive
Greenview Fairway Formula Fertilizer
My final product review is the Greenview Fairway Formula Fertilizer, which is packed with slow release nitrogen that can help feed your lawn over an extended period of time.
Features
- It has an N-P-K ratio of 27-0-5, which is slightly lacking in phosphorus for Bermuda grass.
- Greenview’s product contains extended time-released nitrogen (17.2%) in the form of methylene urea.
- This 16.5lb bag can be expected to cover 5,000 square feet. It also comes in a 33lb bag, which will cover double that area.
Pros
- Covers 5,000 Square Feet
- Slow release nitrogen
- Money-Back Guarantee if Not Satisfied
Cons
- No phosphorus; not the ideal NPK ratio
- Not sold at many retail stores
- Not sold in the state of California
If you also enjoy growing ornamental grasses, you may be interested on our article about raising pampas grass.
Raising a Beautiful Lawn
You can make your Bermuda lawn lush and beautiful. Utilize these tips below and choose one of the recommended products above that help suit your needs to optimize your chances of having a beautiful lawn.
General Information
Bermuda grass, also scientifically known as Cynodon spp., is a variety that will grow on a many different types of soil. Soils that have adequate drainage and areas that have plenty of sunlight create the ideal growing circumstances. This is because it is not shade-tolerant.
Bermuda grass is able to recover from traffic damage and also has great drought tolerance, which makes it a popular variety for lawns. After extended drought periods, the blades may turn brown, but will then quickly recover once they receive rainfall.
It is also grows surprisingly fast. The downside to this is that it can require frequent mowing during the summer months.
N-P-K Ratio
Bermuda grass requires more nitrogen and potassium than other types of plants. That is why they grow most robustly with an N-P-K ratio of about 3-1-2 or 4-1-2. Make sure you read more about the importance of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. There are also other elements to conside
Benefits of Slow Release Nitrogen
Bermuda grass also flourishes the most with a fertilizer that releases its contents slowly rather than rapidly releasing all the nutrients at once. When you are looking at the product label, it will usually state how much of the nitrogen is in slow release form. In cases that they don’t state it, you can look at the actual ingredients label – Urea nitrogen tends to be the fast release form of nitrogen, while things like urea triazone or methylene urea tends to be the slow release forms.
Application Frequency
Apply the fertilizer during April roughly 1-2 weeks after your property is fully green. Then you should apply it roughly every other month – once in June and once in August.
Cutting Your Grass
Bermuda grass typically begins to grow in the Spring. During this time, you can mow it shorter than normal to remove any debris or dead leaves. This will also remove some of the shade for the growing blades of grass and help to warm up the soil faster (enabling faster growth).
When the grass turns green, you will want to mow more regularly. Consider mowing your lawn as it approaches 1.5-2.5 inches. If possible, mow frequently and try to avoid mowing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade. If you do this, it is unnecessary to clean up clippings (unless they clump onto certain areas of your property).
In the summer, your lawn should be mowed every 5-7 days.
Watering Frequency
Watering your lawn is seldom needed in the Spring. If you start notice dark, bluish gray color or wilting blades, then it is time to water. Be care of over watering as this can lead to shallow root systems or create more disease/pest issues.
In the summer, you should water weekly. Water as early in the morning as possible with enough water to get the soil wet about 4-6 inches deep. It is best to water in the morning so that the sun can help get rid of some of the moisture. Stagnant water can be a breeding ground for pests and diseases.
Additional Tips
Check out this Youtube video (not created by the Green Pinky) for some more tips in regards to raising healthy Bermuda grass
Bottom Line
Again, I recommend buying the Anderson’s fertilizer. Don’t make the mistake of buy any average product at your local gardening store. Many of them will simply not produce the same results. You cannot go wrong with any of the our recommendations above.