Here is a pic of the back yard. The splotches are from the Roundup. No weed and feed. Note the dog trail.

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FWIW, my grass looks somewhat similar to yours. I'm thinking I should've scalped my Tifway 419 just as it started to green up several weeks ago. By not doing this, all the white, crusty growth from last year remains. Mowing usually sends a cloud of the stuff up in the air. If you look really closely at the grass, you might see green tips on much of the white grass. For me, I'm hoping this old stuff is simply overwhelmed by the new growth and eventually disappears.

You don't need to fertilize in the spring until the lawn is up and growing. When you have mowed grass (not weeds) for the second time, then you know the grass and roots are up to speed.

What were the last two things you did to your lawn last fall? I mean besides mowing and watering. Did you fertilize or use any herbicides?

I did nothing but mow and water to close out last year. I did a spring weed and feed app last year. Other than that, just mowing all year, but at a high setting.

I wasn't mowing much grass when I fertilized a few weeks ago, but I definitely have growth now.

The reason your grass is taking so long to green up is it has been starved for a year. Bermuda, in order to look good, must be fertilized every month.

Find the Bermuda Bible online and memorize it.

Don't use weed-n-feed products. You don't need them if you're taking good care (proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing). WNF products literally are too good to be true. They don't do what you want them to do. In fact they only barely fertilize. A much better idea is to fertilize with real fertilizer and, 2 weeks later, spot spray the individual weeds with a product like Weed-B-Gone. That minimizes the use of herbicide for the good of all of us. And when you spray a herbicide, you need to mist the leaves, not drench the soil. That's another way to waste herbicide.

Your lawn is probably ready for fertilizer but can't tell you because it is so starved. Don't apply anything until you can recite the Bermuda Bible backwards and forwards. That should easily be by this weekend.

Dschall, that is exactly what I've done so far this year. My one WNF app is now 12 months past. I did a balanced fertilizer after my second mowing last month.

And I've spot treated with roundup.

Okay. Don't use round up unless you want to kill everything. That's what it's for. Use weed killers like Weed-B-Gone to kill weeds. Round up kills everything.

With bermuda you want unbalanced fertilizers and lots of them. Read the Bermuda Bible.

I believe the OP has clearly stated he's following the Bermuda Bible.

A few things I'm thinking is possible.

How much sun is the problem area getting? My backyard, which faces East, is not fully green as my front yard.

Is the mower blade shape? A dull blade will not make a clean cut and will give your yard that "dead" grass tip look.

And lastly, it's possible you're cutting too low and not often enough. Rise the mower a notch or cut more often.

Good luck.

dwrecktor, thanks for the reply.

The front (worst) yard is facing west. It has 2 young oak trees that don't provide much shade. The back is facing east and has no trees.

The mower is not quite a month old yet, so I'd say the blade is sharp. I don't think I'm cutting too low, because the bare/brown spots in the front yard are brown and bare both before and after I mow. I'd agree if it was green and then mowing it made it brown, but that's not the case. It's just not filling in for some reason.

Hi, I don't know what the others are saying because I only read your post but first of all I would say never use roundup on the weeds in the yard. Roundup kills the grass too and if you use it in the middle of yard to kill weeds you are going to have year long dead patches in your yard. I use roundup at the bottom of my privacy fence so I don't have to tear up the wood by nixing it with the weed eater.

Second of all, raise your mower just a half notch. I think you are cutting it so low that you are cutting it down to the stock which is not green. Raise your mower up a half notch, if still white/looks like its still dorment go up another half notch till you get it.

Could dog urine's nitrogen be the key to the backyard looking better than the front? There are several 2'x2' squares in the back yard that I wished my entire yard looked like. Maybe the yard is just ready for more N?

Thanks Tuck. I'll switch to a Weed B Gone product. I had the roundup because I was purging Bermuda from the flower beds and tree rings. I decided to do my privacy fence and weeds in the center too. I don't think it'll be dead in the lawn for a year? We'll see.

That'll be disappointing if I have to raise the mower height. I really like the height and the back yard has really gotten to growing horizontally.

yeah, I have the same problem. I want to mow at the lowest setting but I can't because it cuts down to the stock cutting away any and all green. If you raise it a half notch that's not much difference at all but just might be enough to escape the stock. I think that once your grass really starts to take off horizontally it will cover up your brown spots. I guess it is possible you could have burnt the yard with fertilizer if not using a spreader. I would just be patience, raise the mowing height a tad and continue to water and fertilize as indicated.

When you cut the grass down low like that you can't keep cutting at the same height. What i due is scalp one notch lower than the height i want to mow. So after the scalp raise up a notch. Has your soil temp at 3 inches reached 65 degrees at 8am yet? I am guessing not. That is what the Bermuda needs to really get going. Also note that for weedBgone to not kill Bermuda max day time temp is 80 degrees. Over that and it will stunt or kill the Bermuda also. What i do is use the weedBgone at half strength and apply early am when temps get over 80.

I don't think you have a problem. We've had a warm spring but it's still only April. My lawn looks similar to yours and I haven't even thought to worry about it. I'm north of you in Wichita Falls.

Your neighbor's lawn isn't as green and thick as you think. It looks just like yours at ground level but the taller grass hides it.

Follow the Bermuda Bible. If you still have a problem in mid to late May, start asking questions.

Resist the urging to raise the mower. Grass that grows horizontally will not spike up like others are describing. You're just 12 months behind on nitrogen.

I contacted the builder (house is a year old) and he confirmed that the grass is 419 Tiff.

Find and read the BERMUDA BIBLE. I would list the link but I would have my membership terminated if I did. Use the search term "bermuda bible, best lawn" and see what pops up.

I did and have.

Dchall, should I bump up my next feeding by one week and put down the straight N?

My balanced app is 24 days old tomorrow. I have mowed 7 times already. Every 5 days.

Or do I wait for 30 days?

With high temps in the 70s and low 80s right now, there's not much danger in applying a week early. Just be prepared to mow every other day if the temps get above 90. Bermuda is a hot weather grass.

My balanced app is 24 days old tomorrow

OK then you are about due for another application. If you are using slow release, apps are 30 to 45 days apart. One note here if DFW has another summer like last summer, back off on the fertilizer during the scorching heat, and up the water if you can.

Ok, went ahead and put ammonium sulfate down in the front. Dogs are in the back so I'll do that this week.

Supposed to storm tomorrow so hopefully I watered it in good enough. Went ahead and mowed since I was due to mow tomorrow.

I just wanted to update this with pictures as of today. I am now mowing on the 3rd lowest setting. 1 and 2 give me swirl marks due to the uneven ground. Still though, very pleased with it. I sourced some 28-0-0 from a feed store that is 1/2 slow and 1/2 fast, and 100% cheap. I also put down some milorganite in between apps of the 28-0-0. Think I will do that one more time this year.

Square of front yard:
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Me on the left with the same neighbor as the pic up at the top of this thread.
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I love it when a plan comes together! Thanks -upfor the follow.

So...
Who's jealous of who now? Your neighbor should be asking you for advice,

Good lord, how'd that happen? This antiquated software gets to me sometimes. Where's the edit button when you need it?

What I said was: "Thanks for the follow-up"

Glad to see things looking better for you
the pics look like you are doing well, great pics

One more pic I took yesterday.

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What you experienced this year was what about all of TX residents went through. Last summer was brutal hot and dry. It stunned the grass pretty severally.

This year spring came early, too early but never warmed up enough until about the normal time in May. It took time for the grass to recover from last years damage.

Good job working through it.