Bermudagrass – Gasoline Damage

Q: My son spilled gasoline on our bermuda lawn while re-fueling the lawn mower in June. The grass died, of course, but I can’t get bermuda – or even weeds – to grow there again.

Is there anything that will neutralize the gasoline?

A: I think you should just dig up the soil and replace it with good planting soil.

Petroleum products will eventually be decomposed by soil organisms but it might take six months.

With new soil, you can plant plugs of bermuda from another part of the lawn and have them well established before fall.

The contaminated soil can be wrapped in plastic and put out with the garbage.

  • Advertisement