# My lawn sucks



## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

Team,

Please help.

I have a celebration Bermudagrass that I sodded myself in 2018.

This time last year, it looked good. I always had a trouble area here and there, but generally speaking I was happy with it.

This year, I was hoping for something better, so I did a light leveling in Feb 2020. I fertilized using Milogranite on March 1st and April 1st. I also lowered my blade a tad more since I thought I could get away with it since I leveled it. THe blade is not low enough to scalp any areas and honestly, the grass hasn't grown enough to see a lot of cuttings.

Attached is a picture in June 2019 and a picture from today. Its driving me nuts.

Is the sand hurting the roots? What am I doing wrong and what can I do to get my grass green again?


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## p1muserfan (Jul 7, 2019)

Read Mighty Quinn's response in this thread, "Bermuda not thick...what am I doing wrong?" He puts it all in perspective, it even calmed me down, lol. Are you watering? My grass kinda looked the same earlier this week but I've watered 3 times and with the warmer temps this week it looks a whole lot better. And no offense but Milorganite, ugh, no potassium.


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

Thanks. However, I live in El Paso Texas and its been pretty Warm lately (High of 90, low of 60). I did dial down the water compared to last year since I felt I over watered last year.

I currently had it set to water every two days at 0700 for 15 minutes. I know without a gallon per minute measure, that this doesnt say much, but its normal flow and the yard is small enough that one head covers it all (400 square feet?).

I just added 5 minutes to this dial since I kindof thought it was set to 18 minutes.

If I buy a soil test, can anyone recommend one? I have been wanting to do this and might as well, I just don't have any experience on whats a good company. I even want to do 2 or 3 areas even though its a small yard, but I'll do one area if I have to.


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## mr_matalino (Mar 27, 2020)

Check out MQ's second response in that thread. I'm struggling too. Just going to keep trucking and have more patience!


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## WDE46 (Mar 11, 2019)

It's bermuda. That's going to look the same as it did in June here quick. Putting out fert in February probably wasn't a good idea since that can make it want to grow when there still may be some cold days ahead. But again it's bermuda. It's going to grow in pretty much no matter what you do.


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## zoysialover (Jul 24, 2018)

Your grass might not be growing but your boy sure is! And btw, a lot of folks here on TLF use waypoint analytical for their soil testing. www.waypointanalytical.com


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

WDE46 said:


> It's bermuda. That's going to look the same as it did in June here quick. Putting out fert in February probably wasn't a good idea since that can make it want to grow when there still may be some cold days ahead. But again it's bermuda. It's going to grow in pretty much no matter what you do.


Thanks. I put it out in March. I leveled in Feb. I was deploying to Europe so I didn't have a choice and put it out earlier than I wanted, but I'm fairly certain there wasn't Frost. Not 100% sure since I wasn't here, but I thought it was safe enough. Due to COVID, we came back early which was unexpected.


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## anthonybilotta (Aug 11, 2018)

Also, milgornite requires microbes for its breakdown. These microbes are most active when the soil temperature is warmer (about 80 degrees if i remember correctly). I would use a quick release fertilizer at this point. I don't think the sand is hurting anything unless you put put down too much, maybe an inch or so, which may cause bermuda to take a bit to grow through.


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

Attached are two photos from yesterday. A good section and a bad section.

If I do a Soil Sample, should i get a sample from a good section and bad section even though the yard is so small (400 sq feet total).

Thanks.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

From the pictures it looks like a combination of water and fertilizer. The dry, brown areas are by the wall, which probably gets reflected heat from the sun and the patio looks dry around it too. Not sure what tools you have at your disposal but if you have a hand core sampler(which you would need for a soil test) you could test to see how wet/dry those areas are compared to the "greener" areas. It also looks like the greener area is lower then the rest of the lawn which is where all the water will go. Also, like others have said, you might want to look into using a regular fertilizer over something like Milorganite which does require higher soil temps to really start working.


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## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

@lamontjb

Subbed for results. Another person from El Paso here!

You have results post and present similar to what I've been having last year to this year. Except mine was 2 years ago and today.

We did get some unusually cold days here, in the 30s. I have some urea nitrogen (46-0-0) if you want to try some. Throw that down and some water and you should hopefully see results


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## SwBermuda (Jun 9, 2019)

It's an EP party then! Who knew there were a couple of 915ers in here. If you ever need any help with anything give me a shout!


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## cldrunner (May 14, 2019)

@lamontjb I have to agree with @Mightyquinn . The shaded grass area by the wall seems greener and the grass getting runoff from the concrete seems to be lower and getting more water.

I would add a heavy watering and check the roots of the dead grass areas for TARR/Take all Patch Fungus. I have seen a lot of that in North Texas this spring.


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## cldrunner (May 14, 2019)

@Mightyquinn can the sand leveling cause hotspots?


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## sam36 (Apr 14, 2020)

lamontjb said:


> If I buy a soil test, can anyone recommend one? I have been wanting to do this and might as well, I just don't have any experience on whats a good company. I even want to do 2 or 3 areas even though its a small yard, but I'll do one area if I have to.


I used http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/ Then click " Pay-Submit Sample Information Online" Select "URBAN & HOMEOWNER Soil Sample Form" in the drop down box. Add to cart. For "Client Sample ID", you make up you're own, like "Front Yard" ,etc. For the actual test, you'll want either the $12 or $19 one.

As far as taking a sample, you want a "core" from the surface down to 6". Basically you want an equal amount of soil from the top down to the bottom 6". The best way I found to do this was with a long piece of 3" iron pipe I found out in my barn. I just beat it into the ground 6", then pull out the core. Trying to use a shovel in the hard Texas clay proved to not work too well. I'd take 4 cores from all over, let the cores dry for a couple of days and then break them up, remove rocks and roots. Bag up about .5-1lb and mail it off along with a copy of the soil test invoice/receipt.

As far as you're problem, looks like a lack of water and fertilizer. Alot of people recommend ammonium sulfate if you want a cheap source of N. It's $13 for 50lbs at my local farm and feed store I'm sure you got something like that around you as well.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

cldrunner said:


> @Mightyquinn can the sand leveling cause hotspots?


I've never really seen it. With topdressing you are just adding sand on the very top of the grass not down in the root zone, so the roots shouldn't be effected at all. Especially this early in the year where temps haven't even really gotten hot yet.


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## WDE46 (Mar 11, 2019)

lamontjb said:


> WDE46 said:
> 
> 
> > It's bermuda. That's going to look the same as it did in June here quick. Putting out fert in February probably wasn't a good idea since that can make it want to grow when there still may be some cold days ahead. But again it's bermuda. It's going to grow in pretty much no matter what you do.
> ...


Ah I read your post wrong. Fert on March 1st, not in Feb.


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## thangkhungdien (Aug 14, 2019)

I think my lawn looks like yours. The back yard doesn't have enough sun and heat yet, maybe 3-4 hrs in the morning until 2pm. I'm In Dfw area.


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

I think I'm going to take pictures regularly until this recovers to track changes. Today I added water, couldn't help myself. I'll mow tomorrow.


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

painted the sewer drain and ive added a lot of water recently... getting better but a lot to go


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## lamontjb (Jun 24, 2018)

This weekend I prettied up the sewer drain. Basically I was always ok with it being brown. But one day while I was away, someone "serviced" the drain and spray painted it lime green, and they didn't even try to avoid the concrete. I hated it and decided to paint it white, which was nearly blinded me when I went out side. I decided to paint the individual squares "hunter green" and I kind of like the way it came out.

I haven't taken a soil test yet but I will whenever I find a good system / company I like. I put the time into watering, planting a tomato plant for the kids. The yard is really turning a corner so I am not as mad as I was a couple weeks ago when I started this post. I think the problem was that I was not watering enough at the start of the growing season and instead was watering as if I was maintaining. Maybe it was still dormant and I was being impatient, but it was really warm for us and I was getting frustrated. I want a lawn that at least looks good 6 months of the year and it was nearly May and hadn't popped yet.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

That's greening up nicely. The storm sewer cap looks good, too.


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## zoysialover (Jul 24, 2018)

@lamontjb - the lawn is coming along nicely! Keep the pics coming. Btw, I grew up about 5 minutes from Ft. Bliss. My parents still live there- right by Beaumont hospital off of Zion Street on the mountain. Man I miss those views and the amazing Mexican mom and pop restaurants.....


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