How Much Sun Does Bermudagrass Need?

Types

• The original Bermudagrass brought into the United States was species Cynodon dactylon, which today is referred to as common Bermudagrass. In the 20th century, horticulturists conducted extensive research and breeding to create hybrid Bermudagrass cultivars for various improved qualities. Common Bermudagrass lawns may be started from seed, plugs or sod, but hybrid types are not grown from seed -- only plugs or sod. Common Bermudagrass is slightly less tolerant of shade compared to the many various modern hybrid Bermudagrass cultivars -- such as Tifway, Tifgreen and Santa Ana -- in the United States.

Light Requirements

• Bermudagrass, both common and hybrid types, grows best in lots of direct sunlight. Of the warm-season lawn grasses most often used in the United States, Bermudagrass is the least tolerant of shade compared to zoysia and St. Augustine grasses, according to the University of California, Davis. All-day sun exposures are best. If Bermuda grass is shaded for more than 40 percent of daylight hours, its leaves, rhizomes and stolon stems decrease in size and vitality. In other words, if the day is 12 hours long, no less than 8 hours of direct sunlight is needed.

Light Duration

• Continuous exposure to sun rays is better than dappled or shifting sunlight across the day for Bermudagrass lawns. Not only does sunlight trigger photosynthesis in leaves to fuel growth, the heat from sunlight warms the soil and air, which causes growth to increase and maintains the best green pigmentation. When growing in shaded, cooler sites, Bermudagrass lawns become thin in density, increasing the amount of exposed soil where weed seeds germinate and further diminish the lawn's integrity.

Cultural Insight

• While loving of sunny garden locations, Bermudagrass lawns experience diminished health and vigor when inhospitable growing conditions arise. In addition to faltering in too much shade, wet or slow-draining soils lead to root rot and other fungal diseases. Full sun warms and dries soil faster to lessen the risks of fungal problems caused by wet leaves or saturated roots. Sandy soils drain more quickly than clay soils. Mow Bermudagrass at a height of 1 to 2 inches. Cutting too low, especially in low light conditions, removes the leaves that provide food for growth. In lightly shaded areas, mow 1-1/2 to 2 inches tall during summer, while full-sun areas of the lawn can handle being cut in the 1- to 1-1/2-inch range.