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rsmoore27

Need help with backyard

rsmoore27
10 years ago

Greetings all,

I've been reading a lot over the past week or so as I try to decide how to fix both my front and back yards. I haven't done anything yet, and have seen a number of posts where people have started on their own and caused more problems than they had originally, so I decided to go ahead and post and seek advice before starting any process that might cause me more problems.

Background - My wife and I purchased the house about a year ago (our first) and didn't do much of anything with the yard. Currently we pay someone to mow it, but I'm planning on cutting that off soon as I take control of my lawn care myself. I'd like to start with my backyard first, and then follow up with a post about my front yard. The following are my responses to the questionnaire in the FAQ.


Background Information:

1. Where you live?
- Northeast side of Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands for any locals)

2. What type of grass you have?
- Some type of bermuda, not sure if it's common or hybrid, but have attached some pictures and hoping someone could help me out. I originally wanted to sod cut the whole yard (just under 900SF) and replace with a zoysia or st augustine (what I have in front yard), but have since read about how difficult/impossible it can be to get rid of bermuda, so I guess I'm going to put my effort into rehab and getting the bermuda to look great instead of replacing it.

3. What products you have applied to your lawn, and how much? These include fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, etc.
- none since we've owned the house

4. How often and how long you irrigate?
- currently I have water restrictions limiting to twice a week, but haven't been doing that for several weeks due to the healthy amount of rainfall it seems we're getting. Haven't measured the sprinkler when I use it, but will next time I water.

5. Is the lawn established, or have you recently seeded/re-seeded or added sod? If so, when?
- established, we haven't added any sod or seed and I don't believe the previous owners had recently either.

6. At what height you mow and how often?
- Been paying someone else, so not sure. Will start mowing at suggested height for proper type of grass when I determine what I have.

7. Results of soil test if applicable.
- Have not done yet

Specifically describe the problem being as descriptive as possible
- Here's my list of problems, I've tried to list them in what I feel are my biggest concerns, but that might not be the order I should deal with them in. That's one of the biggest items I'm looking for help with - where to start.
- Problem 1 - The lawn is incredibly unlevel and bumpy. There is a natural slope of 18-24" away from the house, but the bumps and holes are what bother me. There often small in area, but 3-4 inches deep. It's hard to tell what the correct/natural level is (if there is one), so I'm not sure where to start if I'm leveling. There's a domed portion that gets absolutely scalded in the dead of summer and several sunken areas that seem to pool water. Ideally I would like to regrade the entire yard as I would prefer some of the areas to be lowered (the dome), but due to cost/difficulty, could possibly accept just leveling whats there and reducing the holes. Is leveling something I should do before a lot of work to rid the area of weeds and brown areas (noted below)? Or should I wait until the yard is in better shape to address the level?
- Problem 2 - The yard is overrun with three different types of weeds that need to be eradicated. I also recently had a couple patches of mushrooms pop up. I'm not sure when to try and kill them, or how to go about it. I've read the Bermuda Bible once, but being mid-season and the weeds already being present, I didn't know where to start.
- Problem 3 - With the recent rain, the yard is starting to green up in a lot of places, but it's inconsistent and there is a large portion in the back right that has not greened up at all. I'm not sure if it's dormant or dead, but I seem to remember it greening up last year, so I'm hoping it's just dormant. In that area, there are a lot of clover-type weeds. I don't know if that's keeping the grass from greening or not. I can't come up with a good reason for this area behaving differently, but the previous owners did have a dog and I could easily see this dead area as where the dog frequently urinated. I presume it has to be some sort of differing soil conditions from the rest of yard.

8. Entire lawn is affected or a specific area(s)?
- noted in problems above.

9. If it is a specific area, what is different about this area? This can include: Shade, standing water, insects/pests, weeds, moss, rocks, heavy traffic, etc. Also, if the problem area is ring-shaped or spreading in any way.
- not sure, but the sunshine is very consistent across the lawn, lots of sunlight everywhere. Not ring shaped in any way. Not sure if its spreading or not at this point.

10. If your problem is with weeds, what type of weeds?
- three different types I can easily identify, hoping to post pictures.

11. How long you have noticed this problem and it is recurring?
- I've never been really happy with the yard, the level has always been poor, and last summer was pretty difficult on the yard in general (much of the summer it was browned due to heat/drought), but the dead area I've only noticed as the rest of lawn greened up this year.

Solution:

12. Do you have a preference towards a synthetic or organic solution?
- at this point, I have no preference, just want to see results.

13. Past efforts to remedy the problem.
- none, looking for advice on where to start

14. Are any solutions not feasible? (hand pulling weeds for 2+ acres, daily watering, etc.)
- cost could prohibit some solutions, but hopefully won't keep me from starting some sort of rehabilitation program immediately.

Thanks for reading the long post and for any help any of you guys can provide. Rest of pictures to follow (as I figure out exactly how to post appropriately).

- Russell

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