# Getting backyard to grow!!!



## Eight713 (Oct 1, 2020)

Just moved in to a home and its a new build from 2019. The previous owner never got the back yard sodded. There is currently grass growing but im unsure of how to maintain or grow the grass correctly. I want to get the backyard looking good with nice green healthy grass. What are my options? And what are y'all's recommendations??


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## dubyadubya87 (Mar 10, 2020)

Too late to do anything with it this year. Start a pre-em program immediately and see what you have to work with after it comes out in the spring. Sprinkler system?


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

It's probably too late to lay down sod but it's definitely not too late to prep for spring. As @dubyadubya87 said irrigation system is a good idea if everything is going to be sodded any anyways. Kill everything off, level out the yard if need be. Lay down pre em to prevent more weeds from popping up, get a soil test and see what amendments you need to add. Once spring rolls around put down some compost topdressing and lay down sod and water water water.

Nice big backyard. Have fun!


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I know your profile says Saint Augustine but that backyard looks like Bermuda. I agree 100% with the advice above but you want to identify what grass type you have because what you do in the spring will be very different between SA and Bermuda. Can you take a close up picture of the desirable grass you want back there?


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## Battman (May 16, 2020)

Kill everything off, and till up your soil with Humichar. About one bag per 50-100sqft, this should get you prepped for spring!


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Looking at the photo, this is a good time to go through your yard, identify and log the weeds you have so you know what you'll be facing next year (and beyond). The goal is to inform yourself enough so that you can check the labels of any herbicide products that you may use, both pre-emergents or post-emergents, for effective application rates. You can try an app called PictureThis if you need some automated help with identification.

Or you can just skip this step and get to killing weeds. In Florida, killing weeds is a year-round effort. Probably the same in Houston.


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## Eight713 (Oct 1, 2020)

I believe the grass is Bermuda. I bought some bags of 3 in 1 seed and feed for tall fescue. I will try to return them and invest elsewhere. There are so many areas where there is no grass. I have already started to pull out any weeds and roots. Whats a good product to kill everything off as far as weeds? How exactly can i prep for the spring? Is bermuda grass an all year round grass?

Thanks for the response everyone!


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## dubyadubya87 (Mar 10, 2020)

If you do decide to completely start over, glyphosate will do the trick. But October is NOT the time to do that. Seriously consider putting down a pre-em like Prodiamine now and then again in the spring when it starts warming to 50 degrees. See what comes up, turf grass wise, before you kill it. You might be surprised.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

dubyadubya87 said:


> If you do decide to completely start over, glyphosate will do the trick. But October is NOT the time to do that. Seriously consider putting down a pre-em like Prodiamine now and then again in the spring when it starts warming to 50 degrees. See what comes up, turf grass wise, before you kill it. You might be surprised.


I agree with the pre-em now and wait to see what comes up in the spring. Once you reduce the weed pressure, the Bermuda will take off.


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## 7824 (Oct 23, 2019)

mjh648 said:


> It's probably too late to lay down sod but it's definitely not too late to prep for spring. As @dubyadubya87 said irrigation system is a good idea if everything is going to be sodded any anyways. Kill everything off, level out the yard if need be. Lay down pre em to prevent more weeds from popping up, get a soil test and see what amendments you need to add. Once spring rolls around put down some compost topdressing and lay down sod and water water water.
> 
> Nice big backyard. Have fun!


Actually, you can install sod any time of the year as long as the ground isn't frozen. The best time of the year in my area is November and early December.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@learningeveryday wouldn't that be for cool season grasses only? St Aug goes dormant around 55F. I would assume you would want to plant sod during the active growing season, preferably around the beginning of spring in Houston at least.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

mjh648 said:


> @learningeveryday wouldn't that be for cool season grasses only? St Aug goes dormant around 55F. I would assume you would want to plant sod during the active growing season, preferably around the beginning of spring in Houston at least.


Bermuda can be laid at any time of the year in the South while dormant but it certainly isn't the "best time of year" to lay sod. I'm in the process of renovating my front yard and the sod farm is telling me I could lay sod all year in Florida. I'm still going to wait until spring.


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## 7824 (Oct 23, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> mjh648 said:
> 
> 
> > @learningeveryday wouldn't that be for cool season grasses only? St Aug goes dormant around 55F. I would assume you would want to plant sod during the active growing season, preferably around the beginning of spring in Houston at least.
> ...


I'm not in the south, that's why I said the best time "in my area." Do what you want, but all types of sod do phenomenal when installed in the colder "off season." Watering requirements are also extremely low. Roots establish without the heat and stress.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@learningeveryday Sod will take root when the grass is dormant?


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## 7824 (Oct 23, 2019)

mjh648 said:


> @learningeveryday Sod will take root when the grass is dormant?


Yes, and there are a plethora of articles online supporting this.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@learningeveryday Got any articles on hand? Everything I read says its riskier and not ideal.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/temperature-laying-st-augustine-sod-70592.html#:~:text=Late%20Sodding&text=As%20a%20result%2C%20the%20grass,soil%20adhesion%20and%20root%20growth.

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/rbogren/articles/page1481902974115

https://www.turfmagazine.com/general-turf-care/thinking-about-sodding-in-the-winter-read-this/


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## 7824 (Oct 23, 2019)

Sorry, I thought we were talking about Bermuda like others mentioned.


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## p1muserfan (Jul 7, 2019)

I wouldn't sod, you have plenty of existing bermuda that will spread like wildfire next season if you treat it right. Put down pre-em now, kill the existing weeds with something selective (no roundup!), more pre-em in the early spring along with a soil test to tell you what you need and then fertilize and water accordingly. Most importantly, mow it low and often. That yard will fill in in no time.


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## Twodollarblue (May 26, 2020)

p1muserfan said:


> I wouldn't sod, you have plenty of existing bermuda that will spread like wildfire next season if you treat it right. Put down pre-em now, kill the existing weeds with something selective (no roundup!), more pre-em in the early spring along with a soil test to tell you what you need and then fertilize and water accordingly. That yard will fill in in no time.


Ditto.


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## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

Since it's late in the season, I would consider something with MSM in it like fahrenheit (dicamba plus MSM) which will smoke pretty much all your broadleaf weeds. if it was still hot, I'd go celcius. mix in certainty to kill off the grassy weeds. Won't hurt the bermuda. Pre-M as suggested above. i'd start with prodiamine, since it's cheap and effective, at 1 lb per acre (approx 0.4 oz per 1ksf)

Come spring, I would scalp. it'll look like you killed the grass with the lawnmower, but you'll actually make it bounce back better. Also with bermuda, you can be pretty heavy handed with fertilizer as long as you give it water. i wouldn't waste too much on the organic fertilizers, more than likely you'll want a good heavy application of 10/10/10 in the spring to jumpstart things. The cheap stuff will do what you need.

note- there are times I think the organic stuff has it's place, but it's generally a slower process. For pushing growth in bermuda, give it chemicals.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@Darth_V8r I guess the only problem that might arise from MSM is those trees on the other side of the fence right?


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## 36racin (Sep 8, 2020)

For all you lawn pros let me pose a question that my be the OP's starting point......OP stated this was NEW construction....Well NEW construction especially if it means a developer dug huge ponds to get to clay soil to be able to build up house pads and the whole development. So question is....If soil is mostly clay soil would it be better to kill off the lawn(or lack of) he currently has....bring in top soil....spray pre- emergence to the top soil....then lay sod? I'm new to this lawn stuff too. But know not much but trash grows on clay .


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## dubyadubya87 (Mar 10, 2020)

36racin said:


> For all you lawn pros let me pose a question that my be the OP's starting point......OP stated this was NEW construction....Well NEW construction especially if it means a developer dug huge ponds to get to clay soil to be able to build up house pads and the whole development. So question is....If soil is mostly clay soil would it be better to kill off the lawn(or lack of) he currently has....bring in top soil....spray pre- emergence to the top soil....then lay sod? I'm new to this lawn stuff too. But know not much but trash grows on clay .


This may very well be the case, but before I went to that effort and expense, I'd give what's there a shot. He'll know by early summer if it's salvageable and if not, still have plenty of time to gut it and start over.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

Houston soil has a LOT of clay in it and most people don't have issues with growing healthy grass. Clay holds moisture and nutrients better than most soils.


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## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

mjh648 said:


> @Darth_V8r I guess the only problem that might arise from MSM is those trees on the other side of the fence right?


yes, that's true. But you could kill them with 24D also. Just be careful. if you're not comfortable, I get it.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@Darth_V8r I just bought a bottle of blindside before realizing it's potential negative side effects with trees. Now it's just going to collect dust in my garage.


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## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

It'll be fine for the whole rest of the yard. just leave a few feet unsprayed near the trees you're concerned with.


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