Did you put this in this spring or last fall? It looks about normal for a lawn installed in the spring.

Wait until late August (when it starts to cool off) before going after the weeds. Then spot spray with weed b gone for clover.

Keep watering it as needed to nurse it through the summer heat. For a mature lawn you would water it once per week, but if this is new, you have to do what you have to do and that encourages the germination of weed seeds.

Keep your nose to the grindstone, Whenever the temps are below the maximum recomendations for usting WBG,- spot spray the weeds. Early - mid September, overseed (looks like fescue, but use whatever mix you originally seeded with or add some KBG, Cover the seed with no more than a quarter inch of topdressing, apply a starter fertilizer and water for new seed. Late October to early November drop staight urea at 1# per k. Next spring drop a pre-M. You should be happier next May.

You're right, dchall! It was planted mid to late spring - last spring. It came in looking pretty good, but then it just went downhill. I am pretty new to all of this. I did it for my kids so they could play in the yard barefoot if they wanted to. Before, I had thorny weeds and it was almost like straw. The kids would cry and I knew right then and there that I had to plant a new lawn. So, I had someone come in with a skid steer and scalp the whole thing while getting some other landscaping done. Then I brought in a whole bunch of new top soil and mushroom manure. Seeded. Then watered every day for about a week or so three times a day for roughly 5 minutes (on a timer).

Anyway... Here I am now. I just want to bring it back to good health and make it thick. KBG seems like a good idea. My back yard gets a LOT of direct sun. And it gets pretty hot... Upper 80's to 90's.

Now, I apologize, but as I had said, I am pretty new to this. Grass1950... You mean urea at 1 pound per 1,000 sq ft, correct? And what is a pre-M?

Any thoughts on slice seeding?

Thank you so much! I KNEW this was the right place to go.

Truly. Thank you.

Cheers.

Yes one pound of nitrogen (or 2 pounds of 46-0-0 straight urea product as each pound of product contains about 1/2 pound of nitrogen) per one thousand square feet of turf.
Pre-M is short for a pre-emergent. It is a chemical barrier that stops nearly ALL seeds from germinating==with the aim of preventing weeds. Pre-Ms Siduron and Mesotrione are safe for most turf seeds (Scotts sells starter with either for use when seeding). If you aren't seeding, you can use any Pre-M.
I've found that slit seeding gives great germination results for KBG (and with adjustments can be good for planting fescues and rye) but would discourage its use if you have any poa triv, quackgrass or prolific barnyard grass infestaions already.

Thank you so much, grass1950! But again, I am not sure what you mean by, "poa triv, quackgrass or prolific barnyard grass." Perhaps I can take a picture of my backyard to give you all an idea of what I have? I would LOVE to slit seed some KBG, as I have heard nothing but good things.

Should I slit seed first or wait until after the other steps?

Thanks again!

Cheers.

Weed killers (like WeedBgone products, Tenacity, etc). will do a pretty good job of erradicating many weeds, but some unwanted weeds like poa trivialis (considered a weedy grass in most lawns) and quackgrass (google for images and discriptions) are resistant to just about everything. Although there is a weedy grass called "Barnyard grass", I was using it as a generic term referring to a variety of unwanted grass types like goosegrass, foxtail, dallisgrass, etc. which are all pretty resistant to weed killer. Using a slit seeder when those grasses are already present can cause more infestation by helping their seeds to germinate. The best way to identify grasses and weeds is to google for images and discriptions and compare to what you have in your lawn.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grass and Weed ID aid

Wonderful! It appears I have some work ahead of me. I was under the impression that the slit seeding would help thicken the lawn and "choke out" the weeds, but I understand what you're saying.

I should focus on killing what is there and hopefully, discourage at the same time the germination of weeds, then move forward.

The other thing is that I have a LOT of clay. That's why I brought in a bunch of top soil, but it still seems that there is a lot of clay there.

Thank you again for your help, and if you have any other thoughts or input, please let me know.

Cheers.

Slit seeding KBG into your lawn WILL result in thicker the lawn ( the third year is when you will really see results). Work on erradicating the weeds and then early Fall (late August/early September) is the best time to plant and raise turf seed in NW Pa., so overseed at that time and keep the soil moist -not wet- plenty of threads here about watering programs for new lawns--search dchall and watering) until the end of the growing season.

Awesome help and information! Thank you!