Texas Lawn Help (Dallas, Flower Mound: how much, house, landscaping)

[mSooner]

Any lawn experts on here?

We don't really even have a lawn on the house we bought back in July. It's just a patch of weeds that has now mostly died. The house sat empty for a year with no sprinkler system, so it is really dry--dry enough that small crevices have formed. I'm finally getting time to deal with the outside other than mowing down the weeds.

I've read the first thing that needs to be done is stabilize the lawn, so I've starting watering every few days, but I'm at a loss as to what to do next?

Plant ryegrass for the winter? Leave it til spring? I assume some kind of weed control and fertilizing needs to happen before I try and replant but I'm not sure what. I've done a lot of spraying that seemed to kill many of the weeds, but should I get a rotatiller and break everything up before planting seed?

A neighbor suggested that we both do St. Augustine and keep our adjacent lawns the same, but is Bermuda better? We only have one small tree, so I'm not worried about shade being an issue. I do want to do seed vs. sod simply because I don't think we can afford sod right now.

And then there are the beds. Right before we moved in they hastily put down some woodchips, but no weedblock, etc. and they are a grassy mess. They are next on my list.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by mSooner

Any lawn experts on here?

We don't really even have a lawn on the house we bought back in July. It's just a patch of weeds that has now mostly died. The house sat empty for a year with no sprinkler system, so it is really dry--dry enough that small crevices have formed. I'm finally getting time to deal with the outside other than mowing down the weeds.

I've read the first thing that needs to be done is stabilize the lawn, so I've starting watering every few days, but I'm at a loss as to what to do next?

Plant ryegrass for the winter? Leave it til spring? I assume some kind of weed control and fertilizing needs to happen before I try and replant but I'm not sure what. I've done a lot of spraying that seemed to kill many of the weeds, but should I get a rotatiller and break everything up before planting seed?

A neighbor suggested that we both do St. Augustine and keep our adjacent lawns the same, but is Bermuda better? We only have one small tree, so I'm not worried about shade being an issue. I do want to do seed vs. sod simply because I don't think we can afford sod right now.

And then there are the beds. Right before we moved in they hastily put down some woodchips, but no weedblock, etc. and they are a grassy mess. They are next on my list.

I'm buried right now and will chime in later. For now forget rye grass unless you foresee a significant short term erosion issue. Winter rye will set your warm weather grass back in this situation.

[TheOverdog]

I think bermuda is better in that it is softer and has a more attractive color, but it really depends on personal preference.

I'm no expert, but I have a st augustine lawn and a patch that was dirt due to some plumbing repairs, and it never covered in naturally from late March until I planted rye grass in October even though I watered regularly through the summer, so I have a very low opinion of the cover rate of grass in Dallas-area yards. This late spring and summer wasn't even that dry.

Maybe you could pick whatever seeds you want your permanent lawn to be in late February, and then you just lay some seed, water daily until it sprouts, and then pull weeds until it naturally fills. Expect it to take a year or more. You can also buy some sod from home depot or other gardening store for small important areas - along sidewalks to prevent erosion for example - the bermuda sells out more quickly than the st augustine, but each are like $1.30 per panel.

I don't believe you need to till your soil - you can drop most seeds right on the dirt - rather just aerating it is enough.

Again I'm no lawn expert - that's just what I've experienced trying to repair a 4'X30' section of my yard.

[ggolf]

We got a house that was vacant for over a year and the yard was a mess. To fix it took a lot of time and patience. The first thing I'd do is get a sprinkler system put in since they have to dig in the yard for the pipes. Then you can choose a grass based on how much sun the yard gets. Bermuda likes sun, St Augustine likes shade. If grass has migrated into the beds you can use a herbicide and then get ready to do some weeding.

It took us a year to get our lawn and beds to look at least respectable.

[mSooner]

I'm buried right now and will chime in later. For now forget rye grass unless you foresee a significant short term erosion issue. Winter rye will set your warm weather grass back in this situation.

Thanks, I'll check back for this.

No sprinkler system is in our future. It just isn't an option right now and this isn't a "forever house" (we'll be here for 8 years max) so I'm not willing to spend the money. Old-fashioned sprinklers it is for us. I'm pretty good about watering, but if one grass is more drought tolerant than another, that might be a good idea.

The weeds are dead, but they are a matted mass...so it isn't raw dirt. I'll post a pic later. Does that matter for seeding?

[milwaukeegirl]

If I were you I might not put in a lawn at all. How about weedblock, gravel and ornamental grasses? It's very warm this winter with little rain and I bet we'll have water restrictions next year again.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by mSooner

Thanks, I'll check back for this.

No sprinkler system is in our future. It just isn't an option right now and this isn't a "forever house" (we'll be here for 8 years max) so I'm not willing to spend the money. Old-fashioned sprinklers it is for us. I'm pretty good about watering, but if one grass is more drought tolerant than another, that might be a good idea.

The weeds are dead, but they are a matted mass...so it isn't raw dirt. I'll post a pic later. Does that matter for seeding?

Ok in that an in-ground sprinkler is out I'd forget St. Augustine and go with bermuda grass (I'll get you a specific variety later). Bermuda is just tougher than St. Augustine and it generally needs less water.

This winter pull, spray, hoe etc. areas of weeds and mow areas with a lot of weeds consistently. Mow them short and use Roundup or similar where needed.

Next February you'll want to put down a pre-emergent herbicide and soften the surface of the ground to prep for seeding by coring the ground with a real golf course style aerator that pulls little cores of dirt out of the ground. Water that and let it sit for a few days and then seed and water and fertilize. If you don't break up the hard pan soil 90% of your seeds will fail.

I'd also be ready to spend a couple hundred bucks on hoses, hose splicers, a few hose manifolds and sprinklers. With a little thinking you can fashion a decent hose based above ground sprinkler system that will save you enormous time and effort.


More later.

[Rakin]

Round Up only works in warm / hot weather and Bermuda seed will only sprout also in late spring and summer.

Start by getting educated about lawns & landscaping by visiting your local nursery. Calloways has a store by Vista Ridge Mall and Flower Mound.

Also visit: Neil Sperry's GARDENS - The Definitive Word in Texas Horticulture

and money well spent: Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening - Neil Sperry's Online Store You can order cheaper at Amazon.

[ggolf]

Face it, if you're going to be there 8 years, that's a long time to put up with a crappy lawn. You might as well put in the time, effort and money to do it right. Don't forget that you'll have to sell it some day and if the curb appeal isn't good, kiss your money you saved goodbye.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Rakin

Round Up only works in warm / hot weather and Bermuda seed will only sprout also in late spring and summer.

Start by getting educated about lawns & landscaping by visiting your local nursery. Calloways has a store by Vista Ridge Mall and Flower Mound.

Also visit: Neil Sperry's GARDENS - The Definitive Word in Texas Horticulture

and money well spent: Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening - Neil Sperry's Online Store You can order cheaper at Amazon.

1. I'm using Roundup on some weed encroaching from a neighbor's yard it's working fine.

2. I've sowed bermuda grass in mid-March many times over the years. It will sprout and grow and have a head start against the super hot summer months. My dad's rule of thumb was bermuda would likely sprout anytime after March 10.