[TXATC]

Hey everybody!

New to the forum and serious lawn care alike. I have no idea what grass I have as the builder couldn't tell me. I have been mowing with a Fiskars at about 2-3in and would love to get it lower. My yard needs to be "smoothed" as it is fairly horrendous. I am a novice when it comes to lawn care in general, I have only mowed and edged, with the fertilizing and such being done by a company.

I want to learn to do it all myself sooner rather than later. Attached are some pics I took today, last cut was on Thursday. Any advice on where/what to start on would be appreciated. I know it's late in the season and I may not get much done before it goes dormant(whatever "it" is).

 

[jayhawk]

Bermuda.

What are your goals and constraints?

Let the fert co do the weed mgmt (there is value there) and supplement their fert with Milo for starters.

 

[TXATC]

Bermuda got it. Hopefully I can make it look as nice as some I've seen on here.

Goals: -To have a nice green lawn throughout the growing season.
-To have an even lawn. I know with my grade it won't be level, but to be able to have it nice and smooth would be ideal.
-The all important neighbor domination.

Constraints: -My time off. As of now I work 2 days off 1 work 2 off 2. The grass grows very quick. 2 weeks of growth is very difficult to mow. I have learned now that waiting that long is not ideal so I will have to rectify that.
-My knowledge. I have been reading through the forum here and have started to kind of try to piece together some of the information, but a lot of it is Greek to me. The fertilizers and some of the products mentioned are alien to me. I need to read up on Bermuda to see how it behaves and such and when the growing season is.

As of now it takes awhile to do my yard, mostly because it's thick and tall, the raking takes forever too. Is it safe to assume that when I cut it low and keep it low that it will take less time to actually do the lawn?

As for leveling and smoothing, I know that will take awhile. I believe I see an are that needs to be addressed between the tree and the sidewalk, to me it appears that there is a significant dip that I believe is going to take some serious fill to get that valley out. Unless I am mistaken, which is highly probable. I love it when a yard looks like a carpet, and I hope someday to get it to that point.

 

[cnet24]

Welcome!

I agree with Jayhawk and would also recommend getting a soil test done. I think it will provide some insight on what you are dealing with from a soil perspective, and go from there.

I'd also recommend searching for a generic bermuda grass care calendar that you can follow. It will (somewhat) take the guess work out of what to apply and when.

Here is a link to a calendar that Walter Reeves (aka the Georgia Gardener) published. Granted, it is more for the climate here in GA so applications months will vary in TX, but you get the idea.

http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/bermudacal.pdf

 

[FATC1TY]

Thanks for the Walter reeves calendar. I remember him having one a while back and didn't really do a good job searching for it!

Great basis for bermuda.

 

[Tex86]

Reach out to Texas A&M Agricultural for soil testing instructions. The information can be found here: http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

I am located in San Antonio, BTW. Welcome to TLF!

 

[dfw_pilot]

The worst vice is advice, but hey, that's what TLF is for. If I could share the number one thing I can think of about Bermuda is: mowing frequency. Leveling is nice, using a reel is nice, and getting some Nitrogen down occasionally is great, but nothing will burn you faster than breaking the 1/3rd rule.

With an ATC schedule, just get used to mowing it every three or four days, and you'll be 90% of the way to a great looking lawn. Start the season out as low as your mower will go, and then raise it throughout the season as you start to get behind and scalp. This applies with either a reel or a yankee styled mower (rotary).

"150 to join, three until established, cleared for the ILS one eight right, over to tower 24 15. Adios."

Welcome to TLF,

dfw

 

[TXATC]

Thanks for all the info guys! Do the soil testers from amazon work well? What should I be testing for?

Thanks for the advice dfw, worked one of your company out early this morning, 2091 I believe was the call sign. Asked if TLF meant anything to them, they said no. Was thinking I could have given a shoutout to ya, but alas it wasn't to be lol!

"Cleared direct destination, contact center. Good Flight."

 

[dfw_pilot]

Haha, that's awesome! I know the guys on that ATL flight and I'll send them a note about "TLF". Who knows, maybe they'll join.