My biggest problem is these bunches of thick grass throughout the front and back yard - it is also a different color than the rest of the grass. I can't tell if it's tall fescue, bentgrass, crabgrass, etc... I'm guessing the rest of the lawn (the desired grass) is a bluegrass/ryegrass mixture, but I could be wrong. Based on the pictures, can anyone help not only identify this thick, bunched grass, but also help me understand how to get my lawn to be one uniform grass? Thanks so much for the help - I'm learning a ton from this forum!

The picture below is the desired grass and what most of the lawn is made up of

How was it being watered before you came along and started watering once a week? If it had been watered daily, for example, you will need to wean it off the daily watering. This is something you cannot change cold turkey. You might need to start out with watering every other day 1/3 inch. Then start to back off on the frequency and extend the amount. You'll need to measure your sprinkler using a cat food or tuna can. Time how long it takes to fill the can. I was shocked to find that mine took 8 hours. I thought it was more like 3 hours. Others report they can fill a can in 20 minutes. It all depends on your system and the water pressure. 1 inch is the target to start. Then see if you need to go more or less. I found I can go with much less most of the time. I only need to approach 1 inch per week during the worst droughts. I have a second home at the edge of the Texas desert. I have let the grass grow up to 32 inches high in parts. It is an experiment to see how long the tall grass can go without any water. Turns out some of that grass has never been irrigated since October. We've had some well timed rains, but it has been several months since we had any real precip. Point is tall grass is crucial to cutting back on watering. Every lawn will have different requirements and even within the lawn, there will be differences between deep shade and full sun.

I think your main problem is lack of water, and soil condition. A soil test is definitely in order, and I would apply shampoo with a hose end sprayer (3 oz per 1000 setting, apply to drench soil. I use VO5 or white rain) then give the yard a good watering. A top dressing of compost might be in order as well. If you want your lawn to be one consistent grass, you will probably have to kill everything and start over at some point in the future.

I probably shouldn't have - but last weekend I used Scott's Turf Builder with Crabgrass Preventer (did this before I started to read the forums). I have been watering about 1/2 an inch twice the past week and the grass HAS been getting greener. I also bought a de-thatch rake and realize how much work will be needed in the fall :)

In regards to soil testing, I think it's a great idea. What is the best way to go about this? I saw a soil test kit at Lowe's, but wasn't sure if it was the best route to go. Thanks again, guys - you're helping me a ton.

The shampoo thing is really easy, it really helps get water into the soil, and loosens things up a bit. I like to dilute the shampoo 1:1 with water, and use a higher application rate, but it's really not an exact application like fertilizers and herbicides, so don't worry too much about how much you put down. A side effect is your lawn will smell great. Use the cheap stuff, the more basic the better. Again, VO5 basic shampoo, White Rain, Johnson's baby, they all do the same thing. Stay away from ones that aren't clear. Buy a good amount of shampoo, it goes pretty quick.

What the shampoo does is soften the soil and allows the moisture to penetrate deeper for deeper drenching every time you water. Then that moisture remains in the soil longer because the deeper moisture is not subject to the evaporative heat at the surface.

Dethatching is not a normal thing. It is usually caused by frequent watering and frequent fertilizing with fast acting fertilizers. This practice brings the roots to the surface and creates a lot of fast growth that might die quickly before it even gets mowed. Normal lawns are not thatchy. If you do something simple like spray occasionally with molasses, then the bacteria in the soil will decompose the thatch and you won't have to break your back. Let the microbes break their backs.

One more thing. You can post as many pictures as you want in one message.

I have a feeling I'm going to want to re-do my whole lawn, roughly 8,000 sq feet, in the Fall. I patched up an area in my backyard using Scotts EZ seed, and it's a deep, dark green color - which I love.... but there's no way I'm going to use EZ seed for my whole lawn when it's 99.9% filler :)

Again, I live in Indianapolis with plenty of sun for 95% of my lawn - I have no kids and want the best looking lawn in the neighborhood - any suggestions on a specific grass blend/mix?

If I decide to do a total lawn re-do this Fall, am I wasting my time by spot treating weeds and entertaining the idea of shampooing and conditioning the lawn in the meantime?

If you want the best looking lawn I would go all Kentucky bluegrass. A blend of three cultivars is what is typically used, and you won't find any of the top rated seeds in any big box store.

You definitely wouldn't be wasting your time improving you soil, in fact that is exactly what you should be doing. You are a little late to the party for a lawn renovation, and the sooner you have you soil test results the sooner you can get you soil in shape for a reno. If your test looks really bad it might be prudent to hold off till next year for a reno, but that's up to you.

Here are the two grass seeds that I'm considering:
Premium Sod Blend
Showplace Mix

If I remember right, the Sod Blend (all KBG) is much more expensive; however, it seems that you get what you pay for, no?

Kubota - I could only choose one file as well. When I try to upload a second one, it just replaces the first picture. Oh well...

If you want the best lawn in the neighborhood, then the Logan Labs soil test is necessary. New seed may not be necessary. I would see what you can accomplish this summer and, about mid-August, decide whether you need different grass. Renovating is a lot of work followed by a lot of stress waiting for the seed to come in. Then you are faced with a 3-year wait as the grass plants mature. If you already have mature grass, I would just make the very best of it first before jumping into the pool of renovation.

But also necessary is mastering the basics of lawn care as follows...

Basics of Lawn Care

After reading numerous books and magazines on lawn care, caring for lawns at seven houses in my life, and reading numerous forums where real people write in to discuss their successes and failures, I have decided to side with the real people and dispense with the book and magazine authors. I don't know what star their planet rotates around but it's not mine. With that in mind, here is the collected wisdom of the Internet savvy homeowners and lawn care professionals summarized in a few words. If you follow the advice here you will have conquered at least 50% of all lawn problems. Once you have these three elements mastered, then you can worry about weeds (if you have any), dog spots, and striping your lawn. But if you are not doing these three things, they will be the first three things suggested for you to correct.

Watering
Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an inch in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. Do not spread this out and water for 10 minutes every day. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. If that does not work, then you might have to water more than once per week during the summer's hottest period. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

You will have to learn to judge when to water your own lawn. If you live in Las Vegas your watering will be different than if you live in Vermont. Adjust your watering to your type of grass, humidity, wind, and soil type. It is worth noting that this technique is used successfully by professionals in Phoenix, so...just sayin.' The other factors make a difference. If you normally water 1 inch per week and you get 1/2 inch of rain, then adjust and water only 1/2 inch that week.

Mowing
Every week mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. However, bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses will become the most dense when they are mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. In fact there are special mowers that can mow these grasses down to 1/16 inch. Dense grass shades out weeds, keeps the soil cooler, and uses less water than thin grass. Tall grass can feed the deep roots you developed in #1 above. Tall grass does not grow faster than short grass nor does it look shaggy sooner. Once all your grass is at the same height, tall grass just looks plush.

Fertilizing
Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 5 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above. Follow the directions on the bag and do not overdo it. Too little is better than too much. At this point you do not have to worry about weed and feed products - remember at this point you are just trying to grow grass, not perfect it. Besides once you are doing these three things correctly, your weed problems should go away without herbicide.

It is too late to fertilize with chemical fertilizers this summer; however, you can still fertilize with organics all summer long. You can start with organics before you get your soil test back - you will always have a nitrogen deficiency. Between the basic lawn care (water and mowing), organic ferts, and the corrections to micro nutrients prescribed by the soil test, your lawn should look amazing by August.

You can introduce yourself to organic lawn care by applying alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow) at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. No, you won't be overrun by rabbits. They only eat rabbit food when confined and fed nothing else. Get the alfalfa pellets at any feed store. Check prices between rabbit chow and alfalfa pellets. They are the same product but sometimes there is a difference from brown bag to brown bag. Spray the soap and molasses and you are officially on your way.

Yes, just spot spray the weed areas. You might even try Grass-B-Gone. Tiemco could comment on that.

Yes if you don't have the same grass seed it will look silly. I'm confident that once you get the soil micronutrients tuned up, your grass color will be fine. Do you see a problem with the color of the grass in the picture I posted?

Grass1950 - I know, I have so much to learn. My mind started spinning when looking at the NTEP, but I think I'm starting to understand it.

So, I shampooed my lawn today. 15 oz of VO5 shampoo and 15oz of water, sprayed at 1oz/gallon with my Ortho hose end sprayer. 1/2 my lawn is sprayed with molasses, but then I ran out :)