Help my Lawn! (landscaping, fertilizer, crabgrass, weeds)

[apanda]

I know this my seem silly, but here is the scenario. I have nothing but black sand for a lawn that is littered with weeds. I gabbed a bag of Bermuda grass seed, a bag of Miloganite Fertilizer & and a bag of weed killer granules. In what order should I apply them and how much time should I allow before moving on to the next step? I have never had to establish a lawn before.

Also, I want to start landscaping soon, but I fear the weed killer would kill what I put in. Any tips for this?

[snkalaska]

If you are using glyphosate, used in RoundUp, you're supposed to be OK to plant one day after application. Be aware that Roundup kills grass. It takes 7-10 days for the chemical to get down to the root and completely kill the weed. If you're using broadleaf killer, 24D, it won't harm the grass. 24D is more poisonous than glyphosate, but they're both bad. It takes a while for grass to germinate so you could put seed down at any time after treatment. I'd fertilize maybe a week or two after sprouting. You may also do a light liquid fertilizer application on the young grass as the Milorganite has no potassium. It has an NPK of 5-2-0, the last number is potassium which is necessary for all around plant health and vigor. You kinda have to baby the young grass until it gets established.

[apanda]

Thanks I will have to check the bag for the weed killer. Honestly, that is the part that I am really not sure about. I just grabbed the $11 bag of stuff at the store. It is generic, it think, and there are no real immediate instructions that I saw on the bag other than the amount to be spread.

[Rtom45]

You have a couple options. Use the weed killer first and wait 6 weeks to seed and fertilize, or seed and fertilize now, then wait til at least your 2nd cutting to use the weed killer. Most likely your weed killer is formulated for broadleaf weed control, but you need to check the label, it could be a crabgrass preventer. Glyphosate (Round Up) is only sold as a liquid, so thats not what you bought. Contrary to what a previous poster said, Round up is relatively non toxic to people and animals, (table salt for example is more toxic than Round up).

[snkalaska]

Originally Posted by Rtom45

Contrary to what a previous poster said, Round up is relatively non toxic to people and animals, (table salt for example is more toxic than Round up).

I didn't say anything about toxicity, but RoundUp is currently a Class III pesticide. Class V is non toxic. I strive to garden organically so to me all poisons are "bad". That's not to say I don't have RoundUp on my garden shelf. Sometimes you just gotta blast them weeds if you want to get anything done. Sounds like your situation.

Glyphosate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glyphosate has a United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ Toxicity Class of III in 1993,[23] but more recent studies suggest that IV is appropriate for oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure.[22] It has been rated as class I (Severe) for eye irritation, however.
HowStuffWorks "How does the herbicide Roundup work?"...most people react badly to glyphosphate (and other chemicals mixed with it) when ingested or applied to the skin, so you want to avoid any contact with the chemical.
Anecdotal Evidence of RoundUp's Toxicity
Eduardo Neaves, a 12-year-old, went swimming in a canal in Coral Gables, Florida that was contaminated with four times the recommended amount of RoundUp herbicide. The child became completely paralyzed, and five years after the incident suffers residual nervous system damage.

The EPA, according to this article, in 1985 reported on the case of a 59-year-old woman in Tennessee who has suffered central nervous system damage after exposure to RoundUp.

Monsanto's original neurotoxicity studies on RoundUp were ruled invalid by the EPA due to "extensive gaps in the raw data supporting study findings and conclusions. There has been no requirement for a new study on the neurotoxicity of RoundUp.

[Gerania]

DO NOT put down the weed killer granules.

Search the internet for articles and tutorials about How to Start a Lawn From Seed. They're all basically the same but each is a little bit different from the other. Here's one to start you off:

Starting a small lawn from seed

Ask questions at the local garden centers. They may try to sell you a lawn installation and maybe you should consider that. If it's not in the budget, tell them so, but they can still sell you the right products and tell you how and when to use them.