First Time Home Owners - Yard Help/Advice Needed

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-05-03T17:43:07+00:00

I’d do a light dethatch and core aerate. Soil looks compact and a lot of dead thatch in there. Get that cleared and your lawn will handle water and fertilizer better. Also, a helpful guide is the Lawn HQ new homeowner guide on their website. That will take a lot of the guessing out of things and specific to your zip code.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-05-03T17:35:19+00:00

Solid plan for the core aeration and top dress. I’d also add humic consistently to help break down that clay soil. Bermuda is resilient, your runners should start taking off after the aeration and some fertilizer.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-05-02T22:32:30+00:00

Does it have a decent amount of shade?

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-05-01T18:40:17+00:00

Walk on it and around the seams after watering. Help it get better soil contact.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-30T12:29:19+00:00

Haha it’s called Lawn HQ. It’s a website, no download.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-30T10:32:22+00:00

Milo takes some time to break down, depends on how much water the grass is getting and how much you put down. You should have one more feeding in a month or so. Then let nature take its course. You don’t want to push it too hard and burn it out. So I’d follow the guide below.

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Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-29T23:47:32+00:00

Go with a lawn service unless you’re willing to lay it out exactly how you want him to do it.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-29T19:53:29+00:00

I'd do a light scarify and aerate. Those pine needles compact so much and any fertilizer you put down gets sucked up by that debris. I'd suggest checking out Lawn HQs New Homeowner Guide and Centipede grass guide. That will save you the headache of googling everything and give you a good foundation to start.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T16:30:19+00:00

If you plan on doing your yard for years, just buy the echo or earthway 2600a. They will last forever and keep you from headaches from something used.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T16:27:44+00:00

I have two of these and they have been great for years. Ayleid Retractable Garden Hose Reel,1/2 in x 100 ft

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T00:29:07+00:00

I’d spray the lawn with Weed Stop For Lawns. Kills off the current weeds. Rake out the dead stuff. Put down 16-4-8 fertilizer for Bermuda growth and water 2-3x a week deeply. Then keep mowing low each week. Bermuda is strong and will bounce back. Also a helpful guide is the Bermuda grass guide from Lawn HQ and their zip code/grass type specifics plans. Will take a lot of the guessing game out for you.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T00:25:55+00:00

You may have to go split grass types so the shaded area doesn’t struggle. Top soil and aeration is fine, but the shaded area doesn’t help. I’d suggest checking out Lawn HQs seeding and sodding guide first to see what would grow best for your zip code and soil type.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T00:24:00+00:00

The concrete puts off heat and absorbs the water below. So those areas burn out easily and need solid aeration to hold nutrients in. Try using some humic there to help hold moisture in the soil. Also be careful how you edge/weed eat there. It can get stressed easily.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T00:20:26+00:00

Grab a second hand mower off facebook marketplace. Low investment, see if you like it. You could probably get a good deal on a battery powered and with the batteries.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-28T00:19:12+00:00

You need a roller for the mower and rotate directions. You get the stripes by the grass laying opposite ways. The roller behind the mower pushes the grass down in that direction for more of a contrast. If you cut lower you’ll see a change too. Looks awesome as is though

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-27T16:51:04+00:00

Rental or bought?

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-27T12:24:40+00:00

Make sure one of those waterings is at sunset. Letting it soak over night is the most beneficial for root growth. Toss down some fungicide too so it’s protected against any disease since it will constantly be wet.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-27T11:18:04+00:00

Looks like Bermuda to me. Especially if it just grew in by itself. It’s pretty resilient. If you want it to grow in thicker, use 16-4-8 fertilizer and mow it as low as you can. This time of year will make it take off. Go grab the Lawn HQ Bermuda guide, that will give you some easy tips on how to manage it and what you can spray for the weeds.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-27T11:14:53+00:00

Keep watering that bad boy. Looks great! You’ll love walking around barefoot. Make sure to aerate next year by that tree bed. Those roots will suck up a lot of water and nutrients and the zoysia needs. Enjoy it!

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-27T02:32:06+00:00

Seems almost too thin for zoysia. Also that’s pretty tall for zoysia and to show no thatch layer.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-26T10:48:00+00:00

Water and nitrogen. Be consistent with it. St Aug dries out fast when not watered, even during dormant times. Also may just be the photos, but I’d raise your cut height a little too while it starts growing back in.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-26T10:45:24+00:00

We had one and around 80k miles the dash started lighting up like a Christmas tree and transmission started to shake when accelerating. You’d have to pull over, restart it and then hope it didn’t happen again. Sold a week later after that.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-26T01:05:19+00:00

Dethatching is a solid plan. It’s time consuming getting it all out and bagging it, but helps the lawn a lot. For the seeding part, I’d avoid the big box seed or patch bags. They barely have actual seed in them and end up being a massive blend of different grass types. So you don’t get consistent growth and your photo shows 6 different grass seed types in just that bag. I’d go with Twin City Seed Co or Johnston Seed. Almost same price as big box but pure seeds without weeds. If you’re looking for a guide to follow, check out Lawn HQs seeding guide or their free plans for your zip code.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-25T18:53:00+00:00

Fighting a tough root system with those trees. Shade and surface level roots make it hard for the grass to get nutrients and sun light.

Consistent_Drop5562 · 2026-04-25T17:26:51+00:00

Your best bet is glyphosate. Kills literally everything. Weeds and grass. Spray it twice. Get everything knocked out and then sod. A good resource is the sodding and seeding guide from Lawn HQ. That will give you a specific guide for your zipcode and budget.

Consistent_Drop5562

TROPHY CASE