# From Lawn Care Service to Personal Lawn Care -- My Story



## CMGN616

Hi Guys,

California - Zone 9 - City of Taft
Very Dry - Little to no rain, so sprinklers are a God send.

So i came across your a YouTube video when trying to figure out this whole pre/post emergent solution stuff. I've had a gardener for the last 10 years and I finally gave him the boot after being fed up with the poor condition of my yard. Since then, i've turned dirt to grass and it's getting better everyday. I'm posting here, because I don't know much about the weeds in my back yard and would also like confirmation on my grass type as well. I've taken photos of the top 8 weeds, some of which I believe I've already identified, and grass shots from the front and back yards.

If I can get some identification and a solution I can put on the yard to get rid of this concoction of weeds, I'd appreciate the guidance. I know that leaves and root are important based on the other posts, so I included one of the weed in the ground and one of the weed after being pulled.

Backyard Grass Image 1

Backyard Grass Image 2

Front Grass Image 1

Front Grass Image 2

Mushroom Image 1

Mushroom Image 2

Weed 1 (Spotted Spurge?)

Weed 1 Pulled

Weed 2 (Bermuda Grass?)

Weed 2 Pulled

Weed 3

Weed 3 Pulled

Weed 4

Weed 4 Pulled

Weed 5

Weed 5 Pulled

Weed 6

Weed 6 Pulled

Weed 7 (Purslane?)

Weed 7 Pulled

Weed 8 Pulled

Weed 8 Pulled


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## social port

Here are some prospective IDs for at least some of the weeds. My herbicide recommendations are for cool season turf. I don't know what to use for these weeds if you have warm season grass. 
I wouldn't worry about the mushrooms. Just mow over them as you are mowing the lawn.
Weed 1 does look like spurge. In a cool season lawn, you could use something with triclopyr or with 2,4-d and dicamba. Pair with a non-ionic surfactant. 
Weed 2 is definitely not bermuda, but I do believe I see some bermuda in the shot, next to the target plant. I have some ideas on what the target plant is, but I can't confidently offer a suggestion.
Weed 3 looks like either oxalis or black medic. For cool season grass, use triclopyr with an non-ionic surfactant.
Weed 4 is a dandelion. For cool season grass, a 3-way (with 2,4-d and dicamba) will take care of it. 
Weed 6 looks like you may have 2 different ones. The one you pulled looks like crabgrass, on the basis of the seedhead. Quinclorac helps control crabgrass.

Welcome to TLF!


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## CMGN616

Thank you for the quick feedback.

I certainly have a lot to learn, like the difference between cool and warm season grass. i'm in a desert, I figure everything is warm season, otherwise how else is it surviving, lol.

I also failed to note I have a dog... are Triclopyr and 2,4-d / dicamba safe for my dog to continue using the facilities outside on the grass?

I'll research the information you gave me and look to treat the yard soon so i can provide some feedback.


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## social port

CMGN616 said:


> I also failed to note I have a dog... are Triclopyr and 2,4-d / dicamba safe for my dog to continue using the facilities outside on the grass?


If you are new to lawncare, you should know that using herbicides is something to take seriously. Application is safe when used as directed and with proper PPE. For almost all of my apps, I wear nitrile gloves, jeans, and a long-sleeve shirt. I wash the clothes separately. Each herbicide will provide guidance on best practices, so familiarize yourself with the label, even though I certainly understand that this can be tedious.

Each label will give guidance on when it is safe for pets and humans to re-enter the area, but in general, most labels that I've encountered encourage removing pets from the spray area until the herbicide has dried or after a certain number of hours. So, you will need remove your dog from the target areas, but only temporarily.

If you are not comfortable using herbicides, then some of the weeds above can be hand-pulled. Crabgrass, for example, can be pulled. I have been pulling spurge this summer. I pull a lot of oxalis as well, but it spreads so quickly that it is difficult for me to determine whether the plant is regrowing vs simply a new plant.



CMGN616 said:


> I certainly have a lot to learn, like the difference between cool and warm season grass. i'm in a desert, I figure everything is warm season, otherwise how else is it surviving, lol.


I strongly recommend that you ID your primary grass type before moving forward with herbicides. The herbicides that I listed are intended for cool season grasses, and they can injure warm season grasses. 
The main players for cool season grasses are Kentucky bluegrass, turf-type tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Some of the main warm season grasses are bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Centipede. There are others, but those are common.
As I mentioned, I'm pretty sure that I saw some bermuda in one of your pictures, but I suspect that you have other kinds of grass as well. I'm sorry that I cannot provide a definitive ID for your grass type.


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## CMGN616

Hey all!

Here's an update. I have Bermuda in the back and Tall Fescue in the front. I purchased Scotts Weed and Feed from the local Home Depot because it works with both kinds of grass.

I watered the back down before applying and didn't clean off the sidewalks until the next day. I kept my dog away from the back yard until the next day (after sprinklers were run again); but he may have ingested grains on the sidewalks since he did get out while we had a visitor. We are keeping an eye on him and plan to take him to the vet tomorrow since he's been sneezing while playing around the house.

The Weed and Feed was granular, should I opt for a liquid next time (I still have to do the front yard), or perhaps go an organic solution to keep my dog safe...

Just looking for some guidelines, as the packaging didn't mention dog treatment, but their website stated "Water, Apply, Wait 24 Hours, Water again, let dogs loose" in summarized wording.


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## CMGN616

I'll post pictures of the yard in a couple of weeks if weeds are dying. Otherwise, I'll be back with more questions. Thanks for your help!


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## JWAY

Weed 7 is Purslane


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## social port

CMGN616 said:


> I have Bermuda in the back and Tall Fescue in the front


That is great because you get the best of both worlds. It's not great because you will need separate herbicides to treat your weeds, at least some of the time. The herbicides I recommended for the weeds I identified are safe for the tall fescue. However, if it is above 85 degrees outside, it is best to wait until it cools off. The label should state any temperature restrictions. I wouldn't use any of them on the bermuda unless the label states that bermuda will tolerate the herbicide. I do know that bermuda will not like triclopyr.


CMGN616 said:


> he Weed and Feed was granular, should I opt for a liquid next time (I still have to do the front yard), or perhaps go an organic solution to keep my dog safe


Liquid. That is, by far, the better option for post-emergent control (after the weed is established and growing). Granular pre-emergents (such as dithiopyr and prodiamine) are OK.
There are organic weed killers available, but most that I have seen are non-selective, so they end up hurting the grass, too. I am not sure if they are any safer than the typical herbicides.


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## CMGN616

Its typically over 100 during the summers, right now being fall, its between 75 and 90 most days. I'll keep the temp in mind when doing this. I think going with liquid is more ideal in my situation because my dog is current tracking in the granular and then most likely licking it off his paws. We've been monitoring him as he goes out and washing him down until the soil takes the rest of the granulars into the roots. With Liquid, I can let it dry and it will be less of a threat. Hindsight, 20/20.

The Weed and Feed said Bermuda and Fescue on the package, so we'll see if it actually does the job in the back bermuda lawn. How long until I see some results?


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## social port

I usually blow or sweep granular products off of the sidewalk/road and into the lawn. I'm not sure if that would help in your situation.
As far as when you will see results, I don't know. I have used a granular post-emergent once or twice, but I can't say that I ever got significant results.

Another benefit of liquid is that you can target the weed (rather than the whole lawn) and the liquid is more likely to remain on the leaf long enough for the herbicide to be absorbed by the plant.


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## CMGN616

All good points. First time using it, so it'll be trial and error. I'll go liquid next time, especially if I don't see any results.


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## Diego_Casta

Hello @CMGN616 Nice to see someone from the area on here I am from Porterville so a little over an hour away from you. For the weed problems you have, I would recommend to use "Weed b Gone" from Ortho and concentrate it a slight more for quicker results. It will do no harm to your grasses in the temps we have now. This would be more effective than a weed and feed as you will spot spray the weeds directly and not hope for the granules to stick to the weeds.


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## CMGN616

Thats sounds like relevant advice, thanks for the share. So far, two weeks in, zero change in the back yard. I'll be going to HD soon...


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## CMGN616

If I am going to be planting annual ryegrass, should i first treat it with the weed killer and wait a few weeks; or will the ryegrass choke out the weeds?


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