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Started By
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New House, lawn is TERRIBLE. First steps?
Posted on 6/2/22 at 8:48 am
Posted on 6/2/22 at 8:48 am
Just moved in to a home in central Texas a few weeks ago. Bermuda lawn that seems to be 50/50 weed to grass mix at the moment.
What should my first steps be with the goal of having a full plush lawn?
I imagine weed ID and targeting the weeds first is where I should start, but that’s a guess. Maybe just focus on healthy grass, and it will take care of the weeds by itself?
I am a total newby, so any basic info or resource recommendations are appreciated. Thank you!
What should my first steps be with the goal of having a full plush lawn?
I imagine weed ID and targeting the weeds first is where I should start, but that’s a guess. Maybe just focus on healthy grass, and it will take care of the weeds by itself?
I am a total newby, so any basic info or resource recommendations are appreciated. Thank you!
10
Posted on 6/2/22 at 9:00 am to OeauxMy
quote:
I imagine weed ID and targeting the weeds first is where I should start,
Yes - why don’t you start posting photos of lawn, weeds, etc and let the board help you out. Many knowledgeable people on this board.
Also Texas Cooperative Extension Service, arm of Texas A&M, can provide some assistance. Internet search for your county, LINK search for the person who handles this, usually identified as a consumer horticulturist and start a dialogue. It’s a service you pay for through your tax $ - take advantage of it.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 9:14 am to OeauxMy
I'm two years in to this same battle. I wish I'd just nuked it and bought sod when I bought the house.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 9:15 am to CrawDude
quote:
Also Texas Cooperative Extension Service, arm of Texas A&M, can provide some assistance. Internet search for your county, LINK search for the person who handles this, usually identified as a consumer horticulturist and start a dialogue. It’s a service you pay for through your tax $ - take advantage of it.
That is awesome. Wish LSU had this in New Orleans.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 10:03 am to OeauxMy
I fought and fought here in Round Rock with weeds for 2 years in my Bermuda lawn. Once I hired a fertilization co all my problems went away... ($100 a quarter, seemed worth it)
This post was edited on 6/2/22 at 10:29 am
Posted on 6/2/22 at 10:05 am to OeauxMy
This board has some rock stars that can and will help a ton. Definitely want to get a soil test done. In the mean time I'd get a broad spectrum herbicide and put down and let it start working.
Bioadvanced Season Long would be a good start, just attach to hose. It'll kill most weeds plus give you a little preemergent as well. There's probably better (and more expensive options) but for someone who says they are a newby this is a good start.
Whatever weeds are left after this may need something more specific and pictures would help.
Over last two years I've had good success with Yard Mastery fertilizers. Since we're getting to the hot weather their Stress Blend could be something to put down now and again about Sept. If you're still in the 80s/low 90s you get put down their Flagship (or other higher nitrogen fertilizer).
If your yard is a mess, think about what you can do so next year it looks great. When I started on my back yard to up my game there it took a full season of killing weeds, fertilizer, pre emergent in the Fall and Spring before seeing results I was proud of.
Good luck. Youtube has plenty of channels to keep you motivated and increase your knowledge.
Bioadvanced Season Long would be a good start, just attach to hose. It'll kill most weeds plus give you a little preemergent as well. There's probably better (and more expensive options) but for someone who says they are a newby this is a good start.
Whatever weeds are left after this may need something more specific and pictures would help.
Over last two years I've had good success with Yard Mastery fertilizers. Since we're getting to the hot weather their Stress Blend could be something to put down now and again about Sept. If you're still in the 80s/low 90s you get put down their Flagship (or other higher nitrogen fertilizer).
If your yard is a mess, think about what you can do so next year it looks great. When I started on my back yard to up my game there it took a full season of killing weeds, fertilizer, pre emergent in the Fall and Spring before seeing results I was proud of.
Good luck. Youtube has plenty of channels to keep you motivated and increase your knowledge.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 10:37 am to OeauxMy
First thing I would do is buy a backpack and a bottle of Celsius. Spray the weeds (or whole lawn if it is that bad). That will take care of your broadleaf and most of the grassy weeds. It won't kill Dallisgrass if that is one of your issues. Then I would hit with a hit N fert at 4lbs per thousand square feet.
I would mow twice a week. Bermuda mowed at an inch to an inch and a half encourages lateral growth as opposed to vertical growth.
I would mow twice a week. Bermuda mowed at an inch to an inch and a half encourages lateral growth as opposed to vertical growth.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 10:56 am to Loup
quote:
I'm two years in to this same battle. I wish I'd just nuked it and bought sod when I bought the house.
4 years for me. And while I made a ton of progress, I agree. There are still sections of my yard that are a problem and I'll probably do this for those sections at some point.
This post was edited on 6/2/22 at 10:58 am
Posted on 6/2/22 at 10:58 am to OeauxMy
Kill weeds, just dont use any pre-emergents. Then get the grass as healthy as possible asap.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 11:10 am to OeauxMy
How big is the lawn? Is it small enough to nuke it and start from scratch?
Posted on 6/2/22 at 11:49 am to OeauxMy
if it's truly 50/50 weeds that's glyphosate and start over level bad. I doubt it's that bad.
I would just start with killing off as many of the weeds as possible. Get an Ortho or Bio-Advance or Roundup SAFE FOR GRASS and broadcast spray the yard at rate. Come back and do it again after 14 days. THEN a week after that start identifying anything that survived to specifically target.
the second part is to mow it and mow it often. Never cut off more than about 25-30% of the length of the grass at a time. If that means you're mowing every 3-4 days then you're mowing every 3-4 days. This is honestly more important than just about anything else and the one thing too many people have no concept of.
Try your best to water it if you aren't getting at least 2 inches of rain a week.
how is the smoothness of the lawn? Is it really bumpy to the point that we need to talk getting ready to do some leveling and smoothing after labor day?
I would just start with killing off as many of the weeds as possible. Get an Ortho or Bio-Advance or Roundup SAFE FOR GRASS and broadcast spray the yard at rate. Come back and do it again after 14 days. THEN a week after that start identifying anything that survived to specifically target.
the second part is to mow it and mow it often. Never cut off more than about 25-30% of the length of the grass at a time. If that means you're mowing every 3-4 days then you're mowing every 3-4 days. This is honestly more important than just about anything else and the one thing too many people have no concept of.
Try your best to water it if you aren't getting at least 2 inches of rain a week.
how is the smoothness of the lawn? Is it really bumpy to the point that we need to talk getting ready to do some leveling and smoothing after labor day?
Posted on 6/2/22 at 12:06 pm to BigGreenTiger
quote:
That is awesome. Wish LSU had this in New Orleans.
They do - all 50 states have a State Cooperative Extension Service associated with the Land Grant University - each state has a land grant university (LSU, Texas A&M, Miss State, Auburn, Clemson, UGA, ….) with extension agents in each parish/county. It’s paid for by both your federal and state tax $. Avail yourself of their services - it’s their job.
New Orleans or Orleans parish LINK. Joe Willis is the consumer horticulturist in Orleans Parish.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 12:06 pm to BigGreenTiger
quote:
That is awesome. Wish LSU had this in New Orleans.
They do - all 50 states have a State Cooperative Extension Service associated with the Land Grant University - each state has a land grant university (LSU, Texas A&M, Miss State, Auburn, Clemson, UGA, ….) with extension agents in each parish/county. It’s paid for by both your federal and state tax $. Avail yourself of their services - it’s their job.
New Orleans or Orleans parish LINK. Joe Willis is the consumer horticulturist in Orleans Parish.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 12:41 pm to CrawDude
quote:
They do - all 50 states have a State Cooperative Extension Service associated with the Land Grant University - each state has a land grant university (LSU, Texas A&M, Miss State, Auburn, Clemson, UGA, ….) with extension agents in each parish/county. It’s paid for by both your federal and state tax $. Avail yourself of their services - it’s their job.
Craw - how did you find all of the specialized folks at LSUAgCenter? You seem to know a lot of contacts.
My particular county agent has not been helpful on several occasions. I get better advice from this board than from him. Do you have a personal directory? I do a ton of landscaping and yard stuff....and my yard always gets hit with a fungi or insect. I would love to know some of your resources to aid me in the good fight.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 12:47 pm to ronk
quote:
First thing I would do is buy a backpack and a bottle of Celsius. Spray the weeds (or whole lawn if it is that bad).
Motherfricking this. Then fertilize,water properly, and mow mow mow.
Bermuda will take back over quick. Unless there is shade.
This post was edited on 6/2/22 at 1:11 pm
Posted on 6/2/22 at 2:04 pm to OeauxMy
You didn’t mention if the lawn has shade. Bermuda just will not grow without a significant amount of sun. As someone else suggested, hire a local yard care company and ask them for input. You might need to thin out the branches of trees in your yard but make sure it’s the right time of year to prune them depending on the type of tree. Let the professionals worry about what treatment will work best in your conditions. After a couple of years, decide whether you still need help.
Buy Neil Sperry’s latest book and subscribe to his newsletter. Walk your lawn with a grocery bag and pull Dallisgrass if it’s there. During cold weather when your lawn is dormant, don’t be afraid to spray a little RoundUp on the green weeds.
Water and mow.
Buy Neil Sperry’s latest book and subscribe to his newsletter. Walk your lawn with a grocery bag and pull Dallisgrass if it’s there. During cold weather when your lawn is dormant, don’t be afraid to spray a little RoundUp on the green weeds.
Water and mow.
Posted on 6/2/22 at 2:09 pm to BobABooey
quote:
Walk your lawn with a grocery bag and pull Dallisgrass if it’s there
I have a dozen or so I need to get rid of. Do you just dig them up with a little spade? Maybe put some sand down in the hole?
Posted on 6/2/22 at 3:28 pm to OysterPoBoy
quote:
Do you just dig them up with a little spade?
I own a little weed tool. Try to remove after a rain or you won't get all of the roots.
LINK
Posted on 6/2/22 at 7:16 pm to OeauxMy
I have new construction bermuda sod that was installed in 1/22. Been advised not to use weed killer for 1 year. Can someone advise if true and what is best fertilizer? tia
Posted on 6/2/22 at 7:34 pm to sosaysmorvant
quote:
My particular county agent has not been helpful on several occasions.
This. Here where I am in Indiana the county extension office does not give a single frick about even responding to people looking for ag or turf help, much less actually helping.
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