My lawn is solid weeds

[Clarence Iba]

I just moved to a new place, and the lawn was never maintained other than a seemingly monthly mow. Any advice / ideas for turning it into something decent? It has a lot of sun, so I'd like to go all-Bermuda if I can...should I have someone come out and do a fertlizer / weed spray program?

 

[AustinTejasFan]

How much money do you want to spend?

I had similar situation once and I just scalped the lawn down as low as possible and then covered it solid with St. Augustine sod. Watered it everyday for about a month until the sod was able to put down roots.

To facilitate better rooting, you could spread some sandy loam over the old turf before putting down new sod.

 

[The Muzzler]

Do not use "weed and feed". Use a standard fertilizer, put your mower level on it's highest setting, and keep the lawn mowed. The good grass will eventually choke out the weeds.

 

[Prest0man]

Both the Muzzler and AustinTejasFan are correct in different situations.

I have tons of experience with this myself.

Bermuda grass does sound like the way to go in a really sunny area, but if you don’t mind watering then go with St. Augustine.

1. Bermuda doesn’t look that good up close IMO.
2. Bermuda doesn’t feel as good to walk on.
3. St. Augustine is much better at choking out weeds. High quality “Weed ‘n Feeds” are really effective that are especially made for St. Augustine. Pre-emergent weed&feed fertilizers will not allow any seeds to grow. This is very advantageous to St. Augustine since it propagates by spreading and rarely seeds. Don’t try and save money on any fertilizers you choose.
4. Personally – I think Bermuda is harder to maintain. I don’t mind watering, but I hate weeding. Since I live in the middle of a Cow field, I have tons of weed seeds (every variety) blowing around. St. Augustine “carpets” the ground. My Bermuda lawn doesn’t seem to be able to become completely weed free like my St. Augustine yard.

If you have just all weeds – do what AustinTejasFan said and just scalp it down and put down the sod - --- WATER IT LIKE CRAZY for the first month. This is very effective for instant results.

If you have a mix, and it looks like there is some grass struggling to survive. Do like Muzzler said and cut it high. Keep it watered. Winterized in the fall, and hit with fertilizer as soon as you guess there isn’t going to be another frost in late winter. Hit it again in spring (sometimes twice if it’s raining good) with fertilizer. This is peak growing time for grass and you’ll get the most spreading. Lay off fertilizing when it’s not raining and hot – you don’t want grass trying to grow during a drought. This method will yield a good lawn after about 3 years.

 

[horn4life]

scalp it and go the St Augustine route.

Once you lay all the sod take the time and water all the seams by hand and walk on each and every one to "seal" the peices together. Water like crazy and cut it the rest of the summer on your mower's highest setting. Would have been sweet had you done this last month where ist was raining all the damn time.

 

[Texas007]

I resodded my lawn last year(was St augustine) with Cavalier Zosia grass, adn have been very happy. my yard gets direct sun almost all day and this stuff flourishes with little water. It is a very deep emerald green color almost all year. It is very thick and and walking on it is softer than carpet. Very good at choking out weeds, and you can mow it every other week rather than evey week.