If you're trying to rescue the existing grass and not necessarily wanting to take the "nuclear" approach of killing and starting over, I think your plans for fertilization timing sound pretty good. Around here, the soil is naturally high in P and K, so products like 21-0-0 or 46-0-0 are the best choice. The amount to use depends on the size of the lawn and the first number. Even if you use fertilizers with P and K, apply based on the amount of N you need. The goal is to put down 1 lb of N for each 1000 sq ft of lawn. If you're using 10-10-10, you'd need 10 lbs of fertilizer for every 1000 sq ft. If you're using 21-0-0, you'd need about 4.75 lbs per 1000 sq ft. To calculate the amount of fertilizer you need, determine your lawn size first. Some people take the size of the lot and subtract the space taken by house, driveway, sidewalks, etc. I measured the lawn areas and added them all up. Once you have the square footage, divide that by the first number on the fertilizer bag, then divide that result by 10. For example, I have a 4000 sq ft lot, and use 21-0-0, so I divide 4000 by 21 and get 190, then divide that by 10 to get 19. Since the bags have 20 lbs, I figure that's close enough. I don't go by the spreader settings. Instead, I calculate what I need, set the spreader settings lower than what is recommended and make multiple passes in different directions until I've applied the amount I determined I needed. Actually, that's what I used to do. For the past 5 years or so, I've been stopping at Starbucks whenever I pass one and spreading the coffee grounds I get there. I just fling them around while walking backward until they run out, then pick up where I left off the next time I get grounds. When I finish the lawn, I start over. If you have a large lawn, that's not practical, but it works for me. A few other things to do: Water deeply but infrequently. The goal is to apply an inch a week (adjusting for any rain that falls) Mulch mow. Mow at the highest setting of your mower.

I'm a new homeowner too, and have similar questions. Regarding watering, I received this great reply from user dchall_san_antonio: "Mature lawns should be watered deeply and infrequently. Deeply means one full inch all at one time. Infrequently means no more than once per week in the hottest heat of summer (above 90 degrees F). If you never get that warm, then you should be able to water once every 2 or 3 weeks. This will allow the surface of the soil to dry out completely before you water again. It will also encourage deep roots which can withstand periods of no water. You cannot go cold turkey into this. Start weaning now and by summer you should have it. Measure one inch using empty cat food or tuna cans placed around the yard. Time how long it takes to fill them up and use that time every time you water. If you get an inch of rain, then don't pile up more on top of that. If you get 1/4 inch of rain, then add the other 3/4. Watch the grass for signs of wilting. As soon as you see it wilt, water immediately. If you did not get a full 2 to 3 weeks, then water longer next time."

Bermuda seed will rot in the ground until the soil is warm enough. That would be the end of May to early June. It needs very warm soil to sprout. 1. I have never found chemical fungicides to work in Texas. The one day of the year when all the conditions on the label are met is sometime in January. Maybe you'll have better luck with that, but I switched to an organic approach. 2. You probably don't need to aerate but if you do, aerate the heck out of it. Make 8 passes in all directions. Then water for at least an hour as if you were trying to fill the holes with water. The point being to get as much moisture as deep as possible. 3. I would use compost instead of peatmoss. Compost is definitely a better material and it is likely a more sustainable material. Without getting into the sustainability, compost is better because it has a full range of beneficial microbes that peat moss does not have. Do them in the order you stated. I would buy a few pieces of St Augustine sod and place them strategically around so they can spread into each other. St Aug will send runners out 10 feet in all directions in one season. By the second season it should be filled in pretty well. If you do not water St Aug at least once every 2 weeks in the heat of summer, it will die off. I water very deeply once a week in the heat. I also mow at the mower's highest setting. There is never any reason to lower the mower deck with St Aug.

Ontario bans wide use of herbicides and it's largely due to this ban that we have seen an acceleration of weed growth. I wouldn't use them anyway for safety reason and also one small bottle of weed killer would not be effective on a large yard of weeds. Don't rototill because tap rooted weeds (like dandelions) will multiply from tiny pieces of roots. you will just spread the seeds. Rototil works when you want to prepare the grounds for new plants. breaking soil oxygenates the soil and makes it healthy for whatever is already living in it. You can resod it yourself. I've done it. It's cheaper to get sod direct from suppliers rather than thru seasonal garden centers. I don't know if the hardware stores rent out machines that remove the sods in your yard but if they do have it, maybe it may can be cost less to rent it out. Once you've remove the grass, prepare the soil by evening it out, remove rocks and remains of old weeds. Then have your new sod & top soil delivered. lay down a bit of soil using a rake. Lay down sod the way you lay down carpets or tiles. topdress with a bit more soil and water down. Don't let the lawn dry out. In early fall, sprinkle with grass seeds and top them with a bit of grit (brick sand) to prevent birds from eating the seeds. By spring those seeds will come up as new grass. Re-seed in spring every 2 weeks. Top dress with a thin layer of topsoil and grit again. (in fact, top dress & reseed every spring) Another thing about resodding. -- is what to do with the old stuff. Well, in my case, when I marked out an area for my garden bed, I piled it upside down in the same area and let the old grass rot away. This made the soil very rich and I was able to plant a number of good perennials on those mounds. If you do choose to weed your lawn gradually - which is my preferred option, water the entire area down so the soil is loose. Take one of those large garden forks and stab the earth to wiggle the weeds loose and then pull the weeds out. I had done this for my backyard and managed to remove over 99 percent of my dandelions this way. Crab grass is quite easy to remove but just so tedious. They also reseeds so fast. When you do see young crabgrass, that a rake and scratch them loose. This is enough to kill them. When you see young weeds growing in spot, just disturb them and it wil be enough to kill them. Another method of suppressing established weeds is to take thick black plastic and block the area from the sun for several days. The lack of sunlight will kill everything beneath the sheet.