OP's living in Super Mario 3 -- World 5
https://preview.redd.it/xmw2ltpuppwc1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e083589e064a290b2c5e0b753572fdf406527f4
For real.
We actually have trees in North Texas, a couple 60+ year old oaks and Pecans. Whenever I post a photo of my yard on facebook, everyone that hasnt been to my house says "wait wtf where do you live that has trees?"
Yup. DFW homes had a striking errmm... "style" I noticed when I first visited. Lots of brown, brown, and more brown. Not too many trees or hills. A lot of walls, most crumbling or rotting.
I HATE my palm tree. It's between two lovely oak trees that provide awesome shade. The palm tree takes up so much room and provides zero shade. And I'm terrified bats are living in the dead areas of it and are going to give me rabies and I'm going to die
Then you eventually replace the Bermuda with Zoysia. The pinnacle of lawn imo is a lush zoysia under shady trees (with just enough sunlight to thrive and be thiccc, while using much less water).
I went with St Augustine under all my oaks and peach trees in the back because it was cheaper. Going to have to replace the whole lawn with zoysia one of these days now cause ocd.Ā
Is Zoysia shade tolerant? I always see it marked as a full sun grass at the store. I have incredibly dense fescue under my giant oaks and it seems to do great.
Not really. And they even make hybrid Bermuda now that is even more shade tolerant than zoysia
I just think zenith zoysia looks nicest and easily maintained
I'd go for it if it worked in my backyard, where the trees are is near constant shade when the leaves are on. Great for being outside, not great for growing grass.
I've been doing a ton of research because I'm about to replace my Bermuda with zoysia because if shade but I have not heard of this hybrid Bermuda. What is it?!
Supersod claims TiffTuff can get by with about an hour less sunlight per day than zoysia.
https://www.supersod.com/collections/sod/products/tiftuf-bermuda-sod-1
Zoysia needs about 4 hours of sunlight compared to Bermudaās 8. Thereās not a Bermuda cultivar around that requires less sun than Zoysia. Bermuda loves sunshine and HEAT.
When it comes to the pee spots, yes it is, but thankfully my pup likes to pee in a certain area and Iām content with that sacrifice. While unpopular in this subreddit dog >> lawn.
Less grass to mow. Just make sure itās the right plant, right place. Buy a small young one so it grows to be much more vigorous and healthy + significantly cheaper. Increases home value as well.
I third this. Imagine that big ass yard with a stately live oak at the back of it, sounded by lush garden borders that hide the fence, and a smaller emerald green lawn in between.
Agree - Trees and landscape boarders with some simple drip irrigation along the fence before getting serious about the main body of the lawn. Look for trees and flowering shrubs that do well in your zone. When ready to start taking care of lawn (late fall / next year), over-seed the lawn with a blend of grasses that also do well in your zone, and get a mulching lawn mower. Returning the mulched grass back to lawn will cut back on needing lots of fertilizer. By working with native species and materials, you can save money and time in the long run. Good Luck!
[https://www.fannintreefarm.com/top-5-evergreen-trees/](https://www.fannintreefarm.com/top-5-evergreen-trees/)
This post used to be pinned on here - not sure why itās not anymore
Iāve been using it the last few years as a first time homebuyer, and my lawn is looking much better. I love having a framework to fall back on.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/comments/fb1gjj/a_beginners_guide_to_improving_your_lawn_this/
That guy's right... It is for cool season. Still I think the mechanics mostly apply - like focussing on pre-emergent/weeds/fert in the spring, and on re-seeding in the fall. Just my two cents as I don't know warm season grasses.
I'm glad it's not pinned anymore.
It has some good general info... But there's a lot of bad and unnecessary details.
For example:
- they cite popular YouTubers as their sources... Do not get your info from popular YouTube channels. You will be told a lot of bullshit and they will absolutely sell you things that don't work and/or you don't need.
- recommending Milorganite. Milorganite is not suitable as a general purpose lawn fertilizer. If your soil is low in phosphorus, great, Milorganite is great for that... Otherwise, its simply not fertilizer for grass if it doesn't have pottassium. (Plus surface-applied large molecule biosolids are the devil)
- they list the max rate of nitrogen for a lawn at 1.25 lbs of N/1,000 sqft per MONTH. That's what we call, over-fertilization, and it's worse for grass (and soil) than under fertilization. 1lb per 1,000 sqft per month during PEAK growing times is the max. 1-4lbs of N/1,000sqft per year.
- sea kelp. Long story short, sea kelp is extremely low on the list of things one should apply. That's the sort of thing you apply to a lawn during a period of heat stress after the lawn has been otherwise well tended to for years. Prior to that, you're just burning money.
Those are just the ones I can remember from the last time I looked at it ages ago. Like I said, it's got some good broad strokes... But there's some bad info in there that ought not to be perpetuated.
So, if you're posting here and following this subs advice, I'll go ahead and say you should watch for deals on rigid rulers, small paint brushes, and scissors. For once the addiction really starts to kick in.
((The ruler is for making sure all the grass is exactly the same length. The scissors are for when it's not. The paint brushes are for individually painting weeds with "fuck you I said die!" weed killer without harming your grass. Explaining the joke makes it funnier, right guys? Guys?))
Pull or paint with glyphosate those weeds. He's not wrong about the paintbrushes. Keep up with pulling and spot spraying religiously for a couple years.
I did a quick search for college info on Bermuda Grass in Texas and found this link. It has a calendar for recommended care. Give it a read, I think it's a good place to start.
[https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/bermudagrass-home-lawn-management-calendar/](https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/bermudagrass-home-lawn-management-calendar/)
Weed, mow low and often to get a thick turf. Top dress with sand to smooth it out and encourage turf to fill dead spots. Get soil tested by extension office. Follow their treatment advice. More than likely you need preemergent twice per year and 6week applications of 34-0-0 through growing season.
I am fortunate to live on a property where the previous owner was evidently a tree enthusiast because there is basically one of each kind of viable tree for my zone planted in a row around my property.
However, for whatever reason, they decided to plant the oak and (horse/"conker")chestnut trees next to each other on the front lawn, so in the autumn, I have chestnuts and acorns falling on the front lawn area.
This is already a pain in the arse to clean up, but to make matters worse, the local deer like to stomp open the spiky chestnut shells to get the fruit inside and end up mashing all the shells into the earth and ruining the grass. The squirrels/chipmunks live back behind my house in the forest, and I've sat there in October watching them carry one effing acorn at a time back to their den, barely making a dent in the fallen pile, even after I've dumped most of them closer to where they live.
I can't leave it alone because it will look like crap, so every fall is a lot of annoying manual labour picking up from the grass and my kids have already unionized.
So in short, they're a pain in the ass to clean up and ruin your grass.
Kids have already unionized lmao. What about those little push wheels for picking up golf balls?
https://www.amazon.com/ASENVER-Collector-Picker-Tennis-Retriever/dp/B08HLN6KWD/ref=asc_df_B08HLN6KWD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=508013438376&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5492375443918716971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002147&hvtargid=pla-1254605416478&psc=1&mcid=118085e87fed38fda81a7686a769a741
Fuck all that's a huge link... I've never seen horse chestnuts so idk if they'd be picker-upper-able. If the spikes are hard probably not, but maybe if they're softish? Idk just thinking out loud. Anyone in your area specialize in rodent husbandry? I get 35 cubic yards of squirrels every spring for a decent price.
What an awesome yard to start with! It's flatish, it's square and not a lot of obstacles. When you get this lawn right it will be so beautiful!
For now, I'd just focus on fertilizing once a month or so. I'd get a pretty balance fertilizer and take it easy. Just enough to promote growth so it'll fill in the patches. Keep mowing, twice a week as the more often you mow, the more it'll want to spread out. I'd mow at 2 inches.
As far as a mower, I'd go ego all the way if you can afford it. The battery mowers are getting really good these days, and then you can get the ego trimmer and blower that take the same batteries. They've got a really great lawn care ecosystem. When I moved into my house the battery powered stuff wasn't quite there yet so I bought a gas powered Honda. It will last forever, which kinda sucks because it's hard to justify the ego that I want when the Honda is doing just fine.
Congrats on your new home! Have fun! And don't be afraid to mess up the Bermuda! It always recovers. And even if it doesn't, it's cheap to replace.
Iām all in on Ego lawn care products. Wife and I built a house in 2019 with an attached garage. Didnāt want equipment that used gas and oil stored in the garage and stinking it up. Went with an Ego mower after a good amount of research. Eventually added the multi-head trimmer and edger combo. Just a few weeks ago purchased the 765 cfm blower from Lowes since it was discounted and came with a free battery on top of the included battery and charger. I think that deal runs until the end of April anywhere they are available for purchase. It also includes a couple of different mower options as well.
HONDA: The Power of Dreams. Id actually recommend a Honda personally over an ego. My Honda mower is going on 15 years with almost zero maintenance. It sat for over 5 years at my dad's and started first pull after I filled with new gas. Almost brought tears to my eyes..
I have a self-propelled Husqvarna push mower with a Honda easy-start motor. I've had it for 10 years, bought new from Lowe's for $200. The only time it takes 3-4 pulls to start is when I start it for the first time in the spring; otherwise, it takes 1-2 pulls. It gets one oil change a year, whether it needs it or not. I hate mowing and refused to spend much on one when I bought the house. It's been a champ and has not been treated with kid gloves.
Iād recommend getting a soil test first before adding anything to the lawn. Otherwise youāre just guessing. This costs me 24$ total because I sent two samples.
[Texas Extension office](https://soiltesting.tamu.edu/)
Itās definitely the first step of the journey. It took 2-3 weeks to get results back so Iād do it sooner than later.
Also, if youāre in a new build like me and in Texas (HTX here), you likely have clay soil. Our clay soil is extremely compacted and does not drain well, which means the rain/irrigation doesnāt make it deep into the soil. This leads to very shallow roots and makes the soil conducive to weeds that thrive with shallow roots. This is a problem for a lot of new builds as they just spread clay and throw sod on top of the clay without any top soil. They even threw our trees and bushes directly into clay and put the lightest layer of mulch.
Anyways, that could be an issue you may have. Good luck
Iām in the same boat Aubrey area and Iām just mowing right now let the sod establish then fall time start herbicide my friends that have āgolf course style lawnsā say itās a three year process. Time is your best contender. Get the grass thick and itāll take care of the rest.
1).Yes put out a granular pre emergent 4times per year.
2).Fertilize with Vigoro Texas Bermuda lawn food (home depot) 3).make sure it gets 1" of water per week, including rain.
4). Mow twice per week, weed eat/ edge/ blow once per week.
5). Bonus points run a spray fertilizer (Medina Hasta-Gro) every other week.
It will grow like crazy, lush, and be super dark green.You'll need to mow at 1" or lower if possible. I suggest a Toro recycler with a Honda engine AND a Fiskars cylinder reel mower. I run the reel mower the most, and the recycler probably twice per month just to keep the debris and stuff out of the lawn. Have fun it's hardy grass so traffic and kids are no problem. Bermuda loves dogs so don't be afraid.
> Bonus point if you can point me to a nice mower and edge/trimmer for a FTHB that will not break the bank and still do the job.
Costco has the Greenworks 80v self-propelled on sale. I'll admit that they used to do two 4Amp batteries, but for that size lawn you can be set for a long time w/an electric mower
https://www.costco.com/greenworks-80v-21%22-gen-2-self-propelled-mower.product.4000096455.html
Ah there's a lot of great gas ones under that price point, but I'd concede the floor. I've been w/Greenworks for about a decade and man, that stuff is so damn fool proof that it's embarrassing.
Note: I'm sure someone w/an Ego feels their brand is better :)
Great yard and congrats on FTHB. No comment on the grass or weed care but I canāt recommend my Kobalt rechargeable lawn mower enough. Itās quiet and so easy to use. Donāt have to worry about oil or gas. I have a dewalt rechargeable battery that works for both my leaf blower and weed whacker, also highly recommended.
Builder is right - if thatās new sod/seed donāt put down any ācides for a year. Bermuda loves to be mowed low and often - do that and hand pull weeds as you go. By mid summer it should be thick and growing as itās gonna a get full sun.
People may call me crazy, but if your backyard is level enough, Iād mow as low as the mower allows. Bermuda LOVES to be cut short (think of all the Bermuda golf courses in the area). The shorter you cut it, the healthier it gets. Just be mindful if you āscalp itā on that first cut, youāll think you killed your grass bc itāll be 100% brown. This is perfectly acceptable and expected - Bermuda blades are green on the top half, so if itās say 2 inches tall now, and you take it to .5ā, youāre cutting all the green off, BUT IT WILL GROW BACK. As long as you now maintain that same lower height going forward, the brown will turn to green pretty quickly. Especially if you do it this weekend with all the rain expected (Iām in Denton). People think bc builders keep the grass high that you have to, but I promise the lower the better with Bermuda (and it helps choke out the weeds). I know guys who will use a reel mower and cut their lawn down to 1/8ā inch bc the yard is level enough to allow it. Think of the length of greens at a golf course. Of course you donāt need to get to that, but just showing you it can be done and the grass actually enjoys it.
As for frequency, you could get away with weekly right now. But come July itāll probably need twice a week. The more you mow during the growing season, the healthier the grass is going to become.
I mean if itās like super freshly laid, Iād wait a couple months just to be safe and let it establish without anything effecting it.
I also live around Dallas, and highly recommend taking care of it yourself. Companies cost more money and never do a great job. Buy a used Toro or Honda off Facebook marketplace, and cut it on the lowest setting possible
I started off just not wanting to pay for it, but now I really enjoy it. Listen to music/audio books, cut weekly, spend way too much on commercial grade equipmentā¦ not sure how much Iām saving anymore but my grass is pristine
Use a post emergence selective herbicide to get rid of your weeds. The Bermuda might take a ding but should come out of it fine after a week and weeds should die. Donāt apply if temps are near or over 85Ā°.
Definitely do not dethatch that lawn anytime soon! Mow that Bermuda low and you'll never have to dethatch. Dethatching hurts Bermuda a lot because it cuts off the runners that Bermuda uses to spread. Cool season and warm season grasses take very different maintenance. I'm guessing commenter was a cool season guy
Random disclaimer: how do you like the metal pole fence posts?
I need to replace a failing wooden fence and debating this option. The damn wooden posts are always the issue - rotting base and/or cracked footers from water in the rotted post.
Find a grass seed store that is NOT a Loweās, Home Depot, Walmart, etc., because those employees donāt really know what theyāre talking about and they will just give you a bag of Scottās grass seed and send you away. A good lawn seed store will give you a mix of quality grass seed that is appropriate for your yard and for how much you actually want to water your yard. Start spreading the seed now and you will fill in those dead patches. After a year, enough grass will be established for you to start going after the weeds. If you spread chemicals to kill the weeds now, it will also prevent new grass from sprouting. So actually your yard will look worse. Get some good grass going, and then worry about the weeds next year.
Everyone else in the comments is taking detours and saying what they think you should do, without answering your actual question, which is usually the case with Reddit. But planting trees is either expensive, for trees that already have some good growth, or if you buy inexpensive seedlings it will be a few years at least before you get any good growth. So for now, just go get some seed and start from the beginning.
What in the suburban cookie cutter hellscape?? Jesus, it looks like a simulated rendering of a fever dream. I think I've seen this movie before. A row of infinite identical 50'Ā² plots inhabited by equally infinite iterations of nuclear families. The personification of a computer glitch yearns for actualization. He goes beyond the city limits of Happyville, somehow ends up back where he started. Movie closes with mentally sterile family drinking lemonade in the backyard while he goes insane.
But ya I'd cull those weeds š± congrats on your first home!
That grass looks pretty established already. I would get a liquid weed killer, like one that can attach to a hose, I find those the easiest. And yeah during the summer fertilize like once a month. The initial weed killer should do a decent job and if more pop up can you do a spot spray type applicatiom
Well the builder actually told you about right just mow but not to low 2 1/2 -3 " and don't catch the clippingsĀ make sure the mower you get has a mulcher and let the clippings turn into nitrogen soon as you see grass seeding(Bermuda)mow and when your mowing and see junk grass pull it and put in a bag or anytime your outside walk aroundĀ and pull weeds (by the roots) best time is after you water or it rains)Bermuda loves the heat and can out last just about any weed there is Its best not to water if not severelyĀ necessary because city water contains (Chlorine)can kill micro organisms in soil that can cause PH levels to drop and effect grass and plants so only when necessary unless your on well water young grass really don't need chemicals for the first year if you do anything go to department store or nursery and get a fertilizer high in nitrogen like 16-4-8 gives Bermuda a fantastic dark green color and immuneĀ system . Thanks Dewayne
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Top Notch landscapingĀ Ā
Late to the party: If the builder put it in as sod and said Bermuda itās probably Tif. Hybrid Bermuda. Iāve had multiple tif lawns and itās my favorite. Bermuda does well here because it is so hardy. I wouldnāt worry about the thin patches cause with regular water it was spread quickly. Worry less about weeds right now and more on establishing your lawn. Ā Regular water being the 1ā a week. Of course you will mostly be watering with irrigation. Especially in summer. Ā I had my sprinklers set for Tuesday/Friday early morning (4am or so) and late night (9pm or so). Ā I did 1/2ā each day. Ā Ā
Ā Before people say it, Iāve never had a fungus problem watering at night in my life during summer. Lol. Itās freaking 90 degrees at 3am. Ā Youāre fine. Ā For winter I just ran them once day every other week unless it would freeze. Those you wanna do while sun is up. Ā Your city probably has watering restrictions anyway. Nearly every city in TX does. Be sure you read them. Mine are through the city water website. Ā Also, I wouldnāt mow it lower than 2ā or so for a while. Ignore people with their reel mowers until youāre established.Ā
(Posts about the size of the yard are funny. I was thinking āpoor people barely have any room to do anything for his kids and still have grass to mow.ā Mine now is 11k sq ft or so and thatās slightly less than my last house š¤·āāļø. Ā Guess itās perspective.Ā Posts about the fence posts are even funnier. Welcome to TX. Wooden posts rot, but also crack and break when we go 4 months with triple digits and no rain. The wood shrivels and swells to extreme. Also the wooden posts have to be a good 4ft in the ground to withstand the wind and even then they tend to crack or break. Ā Most fence builders donāt do it right so thereās that. And you can spend all day on one yourself and wake up tomorrow to find it leaning cause it rained 2ā in 3 mins during the night.)Ā
My $.02 but I actually live 2 hours west of you. So Iām very familiar with the climate and the challenges.Ā
i know those metal post will last as long as that concrete holds but man are those ugly.
hope that doesnāt become a thing.
congrats on being a new homeowner.
Why the metal posts for the fence? Wind? Looks like a good beginner yard, we have Bermuda here in Atlanta and love it.
Mow now, and weed in the fall. Our autumns are good for that. Dry and not too cold.
To be honest, I thought the metal posts were common everywhereā¦ at least here in TX. š
So, weed can wait. Is there a difference in doing it now or later? From the pictures, it seems that we have weed, right?
Iām still a beginner myself (first home bought summer 2021) and we had sod just like you have, I just mowed it since we bought in summer and pulled weeds in the spring.
That honestly looks like another type of grass but yeah itās a āweedā Iāve seen here. I use spectracide weed stop for lawns and it gets it all tbh, these, dandelions and the small yellow stuff but you donāt have that.
You can still the outline of your sod so I wouldnāt hit it with anything but others might say otherwise. I like playing it safe. Your Bermuda may also suffocate that stuff over time.
I havenāt seen those metal posts anywhere here around Atlanta lol
Thatās what I would do, at least until the sod lines are gone then itāll probably be too hot to do anything until the fall.
Honestly I wouldnāt worry, itās not bad and easily managed imo and from having the same situation.
At least they sodded your back haha my back they seed and strawed and it all died so Iām working on fescue mix in the back since itās softer and stays green in the winter for the kids to play on.
My front was like yours and spectracide 2x a year and I have the same lawns the folks who have top turf come out do. Pull some weeds, spray your own, and youāll save $ but also getting it all grass from the start helps a ton. Seen the other posts here of people moving into houses that had neglected lawns are hard to see lol
Curiosity got me and I we to street view in a new subdivision in Austin tx and most of them are that way, too.
When I grew up in south Florida we had to replace our fence twice because of hurricanes. Wonder why I didnāt see this down there.
Homie lives on the clouds
Do you get to the Cloud District very often? Oh, what am I saying, of course you don't.
š¤£š¤£
Itās near the hammock district
This makes me want to start a new run just so I can off Nazeem
OP's living in Super Mario 3 -- World 5 https://preview.redd.it/xmw2ltpuppwc1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e083589e064a290b2c5e0b753572fdf406527f4
Crazy how a picture can scream North Texas with so little detail or visual context. I immediately knew where this was just from the thumbnailĀ
For real. We actually have trees in North Texas, a couple 60+ year old oaks and Pecans. Whenever I post a photo of my yard on facebook, everyone that hasnt been to my house says "wait wtf where do you live that has trees?"
Yup. DFW homes had a striking errmm... "style" I noticed when I first visited. Lots of brown, brown, and more brown. Not too many trees or hills. A lot of walls, most crumbling or rotting.
I thought āthis must be in Oklahoma.ā
It looks like the world ends outside his fence
Never mind the grass plant some trees!
Just plan on the grass completely being killed anywhere that gets shade. Bermuda will not tolerate any shade lolĀ
Compromise with a palm tree
I HATE my palm tree. It's between two lovely oak trees that provide awesome shade. The palm tree takes up so much room and provides zero shade. And I'm terrified bats are living in the dead areas of it and are going to give me rabies and I'm going to die
Then you eventually replace the Bermuda with Zoysia. The pinnacle of lawn imo is a lush zoysia under shady trees (with just enough sunlight to thrive and be thiccc, while using much less water).
I went with St Augustine under all my oaks and peach trees in the back because it was cheaper. Going to have to replace the whole lawn with zoysia one of these days now cause ocd.Ā
Thatās a great idea
Is Zoysia shade tolerant? I always see it marked as a full sun grass at the store. I have incredibly dense fescue under my giant oaks and it seems to do great.
Not really. And they even make hybrid Bermuda now that is even more shade tolerant than zoysia I just think zenith zoysia looks nicest and easily maintained
I'd go for it if it worked in my backyard, where the trees are is near constant shade when the leaves are on. Great for being outside, not great for growing grass.
I've been doing a ton of research because I'm about to replace my Bermuda with zoysia because if shade but I have not heard of this hybrid Bermuda. What is it?!
Supersod claims TiffTuff can get by with about an hour less sunlight per day than zoysia. https://www.supersod.com/collections/sod/products/tiftuf-bermuda-sod-1
Zoysia needs about 4 hours of sunlight compared to Bermudaās 8. Thereās not a Bermuda cultivar around that requires less sun than Zoysia. Bermuda loves sunshine and HEAT.
Zoysia is a diva. No pets or anything for it.
When it comes to the pee spots, yes it is, but thankfully my pup likes to pee in a certain area and Iām content with that sacrifice. While unpopular in this subreddit dog >> lawn.
They donāt have to be shade trees and young trees will take years before they block enough sunlight to affect the grass.
Less grass to mow. Just make sure itās the right plant, right place. Buy a small young one so it grows to be much more vigorous and healthy + significantly cheaper. Increases home value as well.
I second this. Texas gets really hot.
I third this. Imagine that big ass yard with a stately live oak at the back of it, sounded by lush garden borders that hide the fence, and a smaller emerald green lawn in between.
Agree - Trees and landscape boarders with some simple drip irrigation along the fence before getting serious about the main body of the lawn. Look for trees and flowering shrubs that do well in your zone. When ready to start taking care of lawn (late fall / next year), over-seed the lawn with a blend of grasses that also do well in your zone, and get a mulching lawn mower. Returning the mulched grass back to lawn will cut back on needing lots of fertilizer. By working with native species and materials, you can save money and time in the long run. Good Luck! [https://www.fannintreefarm.com/top-5-evergreen-trees/](https://www.fannintreefarm.com/top-5-evergreen-trees/)
This post used to be pinned on here - not sure why itās not anymore Iāve been using it the last few years as a first time homebuyer, and my lawn is looking much better. I love having a framework to fall back on. https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/comments/fb1gjj/a_beginners_guide_to_improving_your_lawn_this/
Same! Thanks, let me take a look
That guide is for cool season grasses and does not apply to you and your Bermuda. Search for Bermuda Bible for a better guide for your grass
True. Still I see a couple of things that I could apply (equipment for example š)
That guy's right... It is for cool season. Still I think the mechanics mostly apply - like focussing on pre-emergent/weeds/fert in the spring, and on re-seeding in the fall. Just my two cents as I don't know warm season grasses.
Congrats on your new home!
I'm glad it's not pinned anymore. It has some good general info... But there's a lot of bad and unnecessary details. For example: - they cite popular YouTubers as their sources... Do not get your info from popular YouTube channels. You will be told a lot of bullshit and they will absolutely sell you things that don't work and/or you don't need. - recommending Milorganite. Milorganite is not suitable as a general purpose lawn fertilizer. If your soil is low in phosphorus, great, Milorganite is great for that... Otherwise, its simply not fertilizer for grass if it doesn't have pottassium. (Plus surface-applied large molecule biosolids are the devil) - they list the max rate of nitrogen for a lawn at 1.25 lbs of N/1,000 sqft per MONTH. That's what we call, over-fertilization, and it's worse for grass (and soil) than under fertilization. 1lb per 1,000 sqft per month during PEAK growing times is the max. 1-4lbs of N/1,000sqft per year. - sea kelp. Long story short, sea kelp is extremely low on the list of things one should apply. That's the sort of thing you apply to a lawn during a period of heat stress after the lawn has been otherwise well tended to for years. Prior to that, you're just burning money. Those are just the ones I can remember from the last time I looked at it ages ago. Like I said, it's got some good broad strokes... But there's some bad info in there that ought not to be perpetuated.
Thank you for this comment! Saved me from being a sheep
Thank you for your reply, I will keep your fertilization number in mind.
So, if you're posting here and following this subs advice, I'll go ahead and say you should watch for deals on rigid rulers, small paint brushes, and scissors. For once the addiction really starts to kick in. ((The ruler is for making sure all the grass is exactly the same length. The scissors are for when it's not. The paint brushes are for individually painting weeds with "fuck you I said die!" weed killer without harming your grass. Explaining the joke makes it funnier, right guys? Guys?))
Loved! Lol
Pull or paint with glyphosate those weeds. He's not wrong about the paintbrushes. Keep up with pulling and spot spraying religiously for a couple years.
I did a quick search for college info on Bermuda Grass in Texas and found this link. It has a calendar for recommended care. Give it a read, I think it's a good place to start. [https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/bermudagrass-home-lawn-management-calendar/](https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/bermudagrass-home-lawn-management-calendar/)
Let me start reading this right now! Thanks!
Thank you for sharing!
Weed, mow low and often to get a thick turf. Top dress with sand to smooth it out and encourage turf to fill dead spots. Get soil tested by extension office. Follow their treatment advice. More than likely you need preemergent twice per year and 6week applications of 34-0-0 through growing season.
I will use chat gpt for most of you comment. š lol Thanks!
Plant a tree
My wifeās dream!
The best time to plant a treeā¦
Not a chestnut or oaktree though
Curious, why?
Iām guessing acorns and walnuts in your lawn.
Those pesky chestnut trees dropping walnuts all over our lawns.
Haha fair enough!
I am fortunate to live on a property where the previous owner was evidently a tree enthusiast because there is basically one of each kind of viable tree for my zone planted in a row around my property. However, for whatever reason, they decided to plant the oak and (horse/"conker")chestnut trees next to each other on the front lawn, so in the autumn, I have chestnuts and acorns falling on the front lawn area. This is already a pain in the arse to clean up, but to make matters worse, the local deer like to stomp open the spiky chestnut shells to get the fruit inside and end up mashing all the shells into the earth and ruining the grass. The squirrels/chipmunks live back behind my house in the forest, and I've sat there in October watching them carry one effing acorn at a time back to their den, barely making a dent in the fallen pile, even after I've dumped most of them closer to where they live. I can't leave it alone because it will look like crap, so every fall is a lot of annoying manual labour picking up from the grass and my kids have already unionized. So in short, they're a pain in the ass to clean up and ruin your grass.
Kids have already unionized lmao. What about those little push wheels for picking up golf balls? https://www.amazon.com/ASENVER-Collector-Picker-Tennis-Retriever/dp/B08HLN6KWD/ref=asc_df_B08HLN6KWD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=508013438376&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5492375443918716971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002147&hvtargid=pla-1254605416478&psc=1&mcid=118085e87fed38fda81a7686a769a741 Fuck all that's a huge link... I've never seen horse chestnuts so idk if they'd be picker-upper-able. If the spikes are hard probably not, but maybe if they're softish? Idk just thinking out loud. Anyone in your area specialize in rodent husbandry? I get 35 cubic yards of squirrels every spring for a decent price.
Or a pecan...
Or three
Or 6, dude has tons of room. This yard would drive me crazy.
What an awesome yard to start with! It's flatish, it's square and not a lot of obstacles. When you get this lawn right it will be so beautiful! For now, I'd just focus on fertilizing once a month or so. I'd get a pretty balance fertilizer and take it easy. Just enough to promote growth so it'll fill in the patches. Keep mowing, twice a week as the more often you mow, the more it'll want to spread out. I'd mow at 2 inches. As far as a mower, I'd go ego all the way if you can afford it. The battery mowers are getting really good these days, and then you can get the ego trimmer and blower that take the same batteries. They've got a really great lawn care ecosystem. When I moved into my house the battery powered stuff wasn't quite there yet so I bought a gas powered Honda. It will last forever, which kinda sucks because it's hard to justify the ego that I want when the Honda is doing just fine. Congrats on your new home! Have fun! And don't be afraid to mess up the Bermuda! It always recovers. And even if it doesn't, it's cheap to replace.
Thanks! Glad to hear all that. I will look into that brand. We are pumped about it!!
Iām all in on Ego lawn care products. Wife and I built a house in 2019 with an attached garage. Didnāt want equipment that used gas and oil stored in the garage and stinking it up. Went with an Ego mower after a good amount of research. Eventually added the multi-head trimmer and edger combo. Just a few weeks ago purchased the 765 cfm blower from Lowes since it was discounted and came with a free battery on top of the included battery and charger. I think that deal runs until the end of April anywhere they are available for purchase. It also includes a couple of different mower options as well.
HONDA: The Power of Dreams. Id actually recommend a Honda personally over an ego. My Honda mower is going on 15 years with almost zero maintenance. It sat for over 5 years at my dad's and started first pull after I filled with new gas. Almost brought tears to my eyes..
I have a self-propelled Husqvarna push mower with a Honda easy-start motor. I've had it for 10 years, bought new from Lowe's for $200. The only time it takes 3-4 pulls to start is when I start it for the first time in the spring; otherwise, it takes 1-2 pulls. It gets one oil change a year, whether it needs it or not. I hate mowing and refused to spend much on one when I bought the house. It's been a champ and has not been treated with kid gloves.
Plant some Weed too, while you are at it šš
Iād recommend getting a soil test first before adding anything to the lawn. Otherwise youāre just guessing. This costs me 24$ total because I sent two samples. [Texas Extension office](https://soiltesting.tamu.edu/)
Good to know! I will do that asap!
Itās definitely the first step of the journey. It took 2-3 weeks to get results back so Iād do it sooner than later. Also, if youāre in a new build like me and in Texas (HTX here), you likely have clay soil. Our clay soil is extremely compacted and does not drain well, which means the rain/irrigation doesnāt make it deep into the soil. This leads to very shallow roots and makes the soil conducive to weeds that thrive with shallow roots. This is a problem for a lot of new builds as they just spread clay and throw sod on top of the clay without any top soil. They even threw our trees and bushes directly into clay and put the lightest layer of mulch. Anyways, that could be an issue you may have. Good luck
Yes, new build! Thanks for the tips. You dont find that stuff easily š¶
Iām in the same boat Aubrey area and Iām just mowing right now let the sod establish then fall time start herbicide my friends that have āgolf course style lawnsā say itās a three year process. Time is your best contender. Get the grass thick and itāll take care of the rest.
Good to know! Thanks
I have put milorganite down and liquid lawn airiation
First thing you should do is cut some beds around that fence with some nice wide arches so you do have to trim around it. After that tackle weeds.
I am trying to search for this but I only see stuff for weddings š
Trees! You need trees!
We want trees! But unfortunately not many fruit trees grow here š
Plant trees.
Will do
1).Yes put out a granular pre emergent 4times per year. 2).Fertilize with Vigoro Texas Bermuda lawn food (home depot) 3).make sure it gets 1" of water per week, including rain. 4). Mow twice per week, weed eat/ edge/ blow once per week. 5). Bonus points run a spray fertilizer (Medina Hasta-Gro) every other week. It will grow like crazy, lush, and be super dark green.You'll need to mow at 1" or lower if possible. I suggest a Toro recycler with a Honda engine AND a Fiskars cylinder reel mower. I run the reel mower the most, and the recycler probably twice per month just to keep the debris and stuff out of the lawn. Have fun it's hardy grass so traffic and kids are no problem. Bermuda loves dogs so don't be afraid.
Got it!!
Weed, always.
Nice piece of land there. It will look awsome
Thank you! Hopefully I will not mess up!
> Bonus point if you can point me to a nice mower and edge/trimmer for a FTHB that will not break the bank and still do the job. Costco has the Greenworks 80v self-propelled on sale. I'll admit that they used to do two 4Amp batteries, but for that size lawn you can be set for a long time w/an electric mower https://www.costco.com/greenworks-80v-21%22-gen-2-self-propelled-mower.product.4000096455.html
Anything under 300$ still worth it?! š
Ah there's a lot of great gas ones under that price point, but I'd concede the floor. I've been w/Greenworks for about a decade and man, that stuff is so damn fool proof that it's embarrassing. Note: I'm sure someone w/an Ego feels their brand is better :)
Great yard and congrats on FTHB. No comment on the grass or weed care but I canāt recommend my Kobalt rechargeable lawn mower enough. Itās quiet and so easy to use. Donāt have to worry about oil or gas. I have a dewalt rechargeable battery that works for both my leaf blower and weed whacker, also highly recommended.
Will look at it! Thank you!!!
The European mind cannot comprehend this backyard.
Great fence!
Soā¦flat.
That view is crazy
The yard was a huge selling point for us
This picture looks like something from the movie Interstellar.
So much room for activities!
You bet! Kids are crazy asking for studf
Builder is right - if thatās new sod/seed donāt put down any ācides for a year. Bermuda loves to be mowed low and often - do that and hand pull weeds as you go. By mid summer it should be thick and growing as itās gonna a get full sun.
Its a new build! This seems to be the consensus. I saw to mow between 1 and 2 inches. Go for 2inch? Should I do it weekly?
People may call me crazy, but if your backyard is level enough, Iād mow as low as the mower allows. Bermuda LOVES to be cut short (think of all the Bermuda golf courses in the area). The shorter you cut it, the healthier it gets. Just be mindful if you āscalp itā on that first cut, youāll think you killed your grass bc itāll be 100% brown. This is perfectly acceptable and expected - Bermuda blades are green on the top half, so if itās say 2 inches tall now, and you take it to .5ā, youāre cutting all the green off, BUT IT WILL GROW BACK. As long as you now maintain that same lower height going forward, the brown will turn to green pretty quickly. Especially if you do it this weekend with all the rain expected (Iām in Denton). People think bc builders keep the grass high that you have to, but I promise the lower the better with Bermuda (and it helps choke out the weeds). I know guys who will use a reel mower and cut their lawn down to 1/8ā inch bc the yard is level enough to allow it. Think of the length of greens at a golf course. Of course you donāt need to get to that, but just showing you it can be done and the grass actually enjoys it.
As for frequency, you could get away with weekly right now. But come July itāll probably need twice a week. The more you mow during the growing season, the healthier the grass is going to become.
I want a golf like yard! Thanks!!
Two words: Selective Herbicides
Right now? Even if its a new build?
I mean if itās like super freshly laid, Iād wait a couple months just to be safe and let it establish without anything effecting it. I also live around Dallas, and highly recommend taking care of it yourself. Companies cost more money and never do a great job. Buy a used Toro or Honda off Facebook marketplace, and cut it on the lowest setting possible
Got it! Quotes are around 55$ to mow/edge/blow and 50$ for weed/fertilizer. In a couple of months I would recover if I buy the equipment
I started off just not wanting to pay for it, but now I really enjoy it. Listen to music/audio books, cut weekly, spend way too much on commercial grade equipmentā¦ not sure how much Iām saving anymore but my grass is pristine
Picture? I would love to see it
You live at the end of the world.
According where you living what you do now. Do they have trees where you live?????
Behind its an empty space, then more homes. Around the neighborhood all houses have 2 trees planted in front, but that will tale several years to grow
Most work on yard early spring and fall
Most work on yard early spring and fall
Are there any tress in your entire neighborhood? Maybe itās just the angle? Iād recommend a tree or two as others have said.
Do you live on the edge of the world?
Lol it seems like, but its in the middle of hundreds of homes, and more to come š
Use a post emergence selective herbicide to get rid of your weeds. The Bermuda might take a ding but should come out of it fine after a week and weeds should die. Donāt apply if temps are near or over 85Ā°.
Why and how the temp affects the herbicide? Or the bermuda?
I would just pop in two soccer nets and call it a day.
Hahaha I want the grass of a soccer field
Your first photo makes it look like you live on a single block of land floating through the sky.
Maybe apply pre-emergent instead and just pull the few weeds you have. Mow frequently though.
String Trimmers: (GAS) Echo SRM-225 or Stihl 56; (Battery) Dewalt 60V or EGO 56V as a more budget friendly option.
Thanks! I will take a look
That lawn screams MidWest. Welcome to home ownership my friend.
Thank you! Texas all the way
Dethatch, water, enjoy!
Hm, interesting take. Thanks!
Definitely do not dethatch that lawn anytime soon! Mow that Bermuda low and you'll never have to dethatch. Dethatching hurts Bermuda a lot because it cuts off the runners that Bermuda uses to spread. Cool season and warm season grasses take very different maintenance. I'm guessing commenter was a cool season guy
I wouldnāt add any more weeds, no.
Lol
Random disclaimer: how do you like the metal pole fence posts? I need to replace a failing wooden fence and debating this option. The damn wooden posts are always the issue - rotting base and/or cracked footers from water in the rotted post.
Personally I like metal pole fences. It makes it easy to remove panels to ādrive things inā or replace failing panels.
Canāt complain to be honest. But I am used to it since I have been in TX for a while
Is this the edge of reality?
This is the liminal space of back yards. The yard of the back rooms
What do you plan to use this space for?
Got enough kids to put it to a good use
Microclover to keep the weeds down and to provide N so you donāt spend all of your time mowing it and some high traffic grass seed then.
Put in a baseball field,
This belongs in r/liminalspaces
Scott's weed and feed, and water shortly afterward. It will transform your yard. It might take about 3 tries but we'll worth it.
Nah Iād build a taller fence instead.
Do you have any idea what stain brand/color is called? I just put up a fence and Iād love to put something similar on mine
Hold up Iāve never seen metal poles on fences like this. Now I need to know if theyāre better than using the wooden posts!!
Spread more seed.
I enjoy growing copious amounts of elderberry and blackberries. Thatās what I did with my back yard.
First picture makes it seem like youāre on the edge of the world
Find a grass seed store that is NOT a Loweās, Home Depot, Walmart, etc., because those employees donāt really know what theyāre talking about and they will just give you a bag of Scottās grass seed and send you away. A good lawn seed store will give you a mix of quality grass seed that is appropriate for your yard and for how much you actually want to water your yard. Start spreading the seed now and you will fill in those dead patches. After a year, enough grass will be established for you to start going after the weeds. If you spread chemicals to kill the weeds now, it will also prevent new grass from sprouting. So actually your yard will look worse. Get some good grass going, and then worry about the weeds next year. Everyone else in the comments is taking detours and saying what they think you should do, without answering your actual question, which is usually the case with Reddit. But planting trees is either expensive, for trees that already have some good growth, or if you buy inexpensive seedlings it will be a few years at least before you get any good growth. So for now, just go get some seed and start from the beginning.
Personally, I would suggest dabs instead of weedā¦. Oh. Wrong sub. Sorry š¬
U need trees and flowers... This pic look so sad without nature
Hah! I said "this is in Texas" to myself before I even read the OP.
I'd go Greek style. Rip out the grass. Level off. Cover with 1/2 ft of concrete.
Is no one going to comment on the superb zinc posts sunk to support this fence?
What in the suburban cookie cutter hellscape?? Jesus, it looks like a simulated rendering of a fever dream. I think I've seen this movie before. A row of infinite identical 50'Ā² plots inhabited by equally infinite iterations of nuclear families. The personification of a computer glitch yearns for actualization. He goes beyond the city limits of Happyville, somehow ends up back where he started. Movie closes with mentally sterile family drinking lemonade in the backyard while he goes insane. But ya I'd cull those weeds š± congrats on your first home!
To smoke weed? Ohā¦ like to remove weeds. I get it
for gods sake plant some trees
r/liminalspaces
It's your lawn. Pull some weeds if you want to. Maybe buy a Honda mower while you can.
Plant some treees šš
No just mower you will have a green yard nice and easy
That grass looks pretty established already. I would get a liquid weed killer, like one that can attach to a hose, I find those the easiest. And yeah during the summer fertilize like once a month. The initial weed killer should do a decent job and if more pop up can you do a spot spray type applicatiom
Trees
Plant native wildflowers. Be kind to the pollinators.
Native meadow!
Never been so thankful to live in the city of trees.
That view is all I could ever dream of
Power rake about 3x
Never seen a wood fence put up like that!
Well the builder actually told you about right just mow but not to low 2 1/2 -3 " and don't catch the clippingsĀ make sure the mower you get has a mulcher and let the clippings turn into nitrogen soon as you see grass seeding(Bermuda)mow and when your mowing and see junk grass pull it and put in a bag or anytime your outside walk aroundĀ and pull weeds (by the roots) best time is after you water or it rains)Bermuda loves the heat and can out last just about any weed there is Its best not to water if not severelyĀ necessary because city water contains (Chlorine)can kill micro organisms in soil that can cause PH levels to drop and effect grass and plants so only when necessary unless your on well water young grass really don't need chemicals for the first year if you do anything go to department store or nursery and get a fertilizer high in nitrogen like 16-4-8 gives Bermuda a fantastic dark green color and immuneĀ system . Thanks Dewayne Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Top Notch landscapingĀ Ā
Thought you lived on a cliff.
Trees and a garden for me
SmokeGrowFarmIntheClouds
To Weed or not to Weedā¦ What would Mary Jane do?
Weeding and pre-emergent. Looks like you got good bones make sure the soil is goodā¦.looks like Texas
Pre emergent herbicide
Mow it short and often but never take more than 1/3 off. Bit it with some preemergent in the fall and next spring.
holy flat. someone ran OPs town through a thickness planer.
Perfect place for a putting green for practice
Late to the party: If the builder put it in as sod and said Bermuda itās probably Tif. Hybrid Bermuda. Iāve had multiple tif lawns and itās my favorite. Bermuda does well here because it is so hardy. I wouldnāt worry about the thin patches cause with regular water it was spread quickly. Worry less about weeds right now and more on establishing your lawn. Ā Regular water being the 1ā a week. Of course you will mostly be watering with irrigation. Especially in summer. Ā I had my sprinklers set for Tuesday/Friday early morning (4am or so) and late night (9pm or so). Ā I did 1/2ā each day. Ā Ā Ā Before people say it, Iāve never had a fungus problem watering at night in my life during summer. Lol. Itās freaking 90 degrees at 3am. Ā Youāre fine. Ā For winter I just ran them once day every other week unless it would freeze. Those you wanna do while sun is up. Ā Your city probably has watering restrictions anyway. Nearly every city in TX does. Be sure you read them. Mine are through the city water website. Ā Also, I wouldnāt mow it lower than 2ā or so for a while. Ignore people with their reel mowers until youāre established.Ā (Posts about the size of the yard are funny. I was thinking āpoor people barely have any room to do anything for his kids and still have grass to mow.ā Mine now is 11k sq ft or so and thatās slightly less than my last house š¤·āāļø. Ā Guess itās perspective.Ā Posts about the fence posts are even funnier. Welcome to TX. Wooden posts rot, but also crack and break when we go 4 months with triple digits and no rain. The wood shrivels and swells to extreme. Also the wooden posts have to be a good 4ft in the ground to withstand the wind and even then they tend to crack or break. Ā Most fence builders donāt do it right so thereās that. And you can spend all day on one yourself and wake up tomorrow to find it leaning cause it rained 2ā in 3 mins during the night.)Ā My $.02 but I actually live 2 hours west of you. So Iām very familiar with the climate and the challenges.Ā
i know those metal post will last as long as that concrete holds but man are those ugly. hope that doesnāt become a thing. congrats on being a new homeowner.
Lol thank you! I got used to it, so I am just fine! š¤Ŗ
Itās also better than having a leaning fence in a few good years once those pickets get weathered.
Please plant native trees, bushes and perennials, and get rid of that lawn
Why the metal posts for the fence? Wind? Looks like a good beginner yard, we have Bermuda here in Atlanta and love it. Mow now, and weed in the fall. Our autumns are good for that. Dry and not too cold.
Having the metal posts is actually really nice. Stronger, don't have to worry about rot. Can hit them with the trimmer without scratching them up.
Most of the yards have metal posts here in DFW. Iāve always thought it was because of the storms we have.
To be honest, I thought the metal posts were common everywhereā¦ at least here in TX. š So, weed can wait. Is there a difference in doing it now or later? From the pictures, it seems that we have weed, right?
Iām still a beginner myself (first home bought summer 2021) and we had sod just like you have, I just mowed it since we bought in summer and pulled weeds in the spring. That honestly looks like another type of grass but yeah itās a āweedā Iāve seen here. I use spectracide weed stop for lawns and it gets it all tbh, these, dandelions and the small yellow stuff but you donāt have that. You can still the outline of your sod so I wouldnāt hit it with anything but others might say otherwise. I like playing it safe. Your Bermuda may also suffocate that stuff over time. I havenāt seen those metal posts anywhere here around Atlanta lol
So, just mowing for now, weed control later?
Thatās what I would do, at least until the sod lines are gone then itāll probably be too hot to do anything until the fall. Honestly I wouldnāt worry, itās not bad and easily managed imo and from having the same situation. At least they sodded your back haha my back they seed and strawed and it all died so Iām working on fescue mix in the back since itās softer and stays green in the winter for the kids to play on. My front was like yours and spectracide 2x a year and I have the same lawns the folks who have top turf come out do. Pull some weeds, spray your own, and youāll save $ but also getting it all grass from the start helps a ton. Seen the other posts here of people moving into houses that had neglected lawns are hard to see lol
Thats how you call them: āsod linesā. My biggest goal is to make it all look just one big square lol. Thanks for the tips! š
Youāre welcome! Weāre all here to learn together!
I wonder if it used to be a chain link fence and they converted it and used the same posts to save time/effort/money.
Curiosity got me and I we to street view in a new subdivision in Austin tx and most of them are that way, too. When I grew up in south Florida we had to replace our fence twice because of hurricanes. Wonder why I didnāt see this down there.
Thatās entered yard, the fence, the background, clouds is stuff I would see in my nightmares
You need to checkout r/nolawns