Page 1
Page 1
Started By
Message

What to do about my "lawn" (Beginner needing help!)

Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:16 am
Posted by rustontiger7
Little Rock, AR
Member since Nov 2018
43 posts
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:16 am
For context, we moved in recently to our first home (zone 7b/8a) and I am just getting interested in lawncare. Our backyard is a mess of weeds with a little grass mixed in. I am not even sure what type of grass we have, or what can be down to help the lawn. I am hoping to have majority grass next spring/summer with less bare spots. Can anyone help me figure out where to start and what steps to take so that 9 months from now I have a semblance of a lawn?

Lawn Image

Weeds

Grass

Posted by CrawDude
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2019
5692 posts
Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:30 am to
Looks to be St Augustine. You have a number of broadleaf weeds that should be easy to control with post-emergent herbicide and pre-emergent herbicide application. Start by reading the sticked lawn thread thread at the top of the page - lots of good info summarized in the first 2 pages.

Should be lot of good info on lawn care on the Univ of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service website. Contact your county extension agent for further info and assistance if you want - it’s a “free” service you pay for with you tax $ - they won’t likely go to your house like in the old days but they’ll communicate with you and provide advice specific to your location.

LINK
Posted by Wtodd
Tampa, FL
Member since Oct 2013
68467 posts
Posted on 7/27/23 at 5:19 am to
Re-sod with anything but St. Augustine; too high maintenance. You'll thank me later.
Posted by Daygo85
Member since Aug 2008
3083 posts
Posted on 7/27/23 at 7:55 am to
I saw this yesterday and was going to comment but thought you would not want to hear what I had to say. But here goes anyway. You need two things time and money. Start over from scratch. 1. Buy a sprayer and round up. Kill everything first. 2. Have someone scrape everything out and removed. 3. Have dirt brought in and everything leveled so that it drains properly (important). 4. Depending on just how much money you have re-sod or broadcast seed for new grass. 5. Water Water Water. 6. Depending on which type of grass you choose do your research on what kind of chemicals (Pre-emergents and fertilizer) you will need. I suggest Bermuda as once established it is a breeze to cut.

Keep in mind if you want a beautiful lawn it is not a set it and forget it propsal. But once you get know what to do and when to do it you will be the talk of the neighborhood.
Posted by Earthquake 88
Mobile
Member since Jan 2010
3294 posts
Posted on 7/27/23 at 11:59 pm to
OP are you living in Little Rock? I’ve lived in that city twice, 1996 to 2000 and 2009 to 2013, because of work. Everyone up there primarily had Bermuda or Zoysia. It’s too far north to grow St. Augustine so I don’t think that’s what you have. Spray some Celsius on those weeds and throw some fertilizer on that yard. It very well may bounce back. Or have one of the 10 national chains come do it for you to help get you started on the DIY path. There are so many of those yard care chains up there like Chem-Lawn they run competitive specials just to give them a one time try. They will tell you exactly what kind of grass you have. I’d be willing to bet you got either zoysia or Bermuda in your yard. I’ve never lived in a place where so many yard care companies stayed that busy. Bermuda requires a lot of fertilizer in a growing season so a lot of people I knew up there found it cost effective just to let one of those chains handle that stuff. I always did my own fertilizing and weed control because I enjoy working in the yard but being this late in the growing season you might can just let them get you started. Come September you can smell fall in the air early and the grass sort of stops growing so fast. Down here I’m mowing until damn near Thanksgiving before it finally dies off for the winter.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 1Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram