Bermudaman you need to exercise some patience. You mow when the Bermuda gets up around 2 inches. Keep it mowed at 2 inches for a couple of weeks until you see it starting to spread, then lower to whatever height you intend to keep it at.

For now forget about the weeds, you are going to have them this year. You are not going to be able to use post emergence herbicide until at least August or September. IMHO do not use any this year. Come fall you can start using pre-emergence for cool season weeds, and continue using pre-emergence up until next spring for next years weeds.

If you just use the right maintenance practices this year with proper watering, feeding, and mowing the Bermuda will take care of most of the weeds by choking them out. In a the next few weeks you can hand pull some of the shallow rooted weeds, but try not to up root the young Bermuda. Once the Bermuda starts spreading pull away.

Then once you have good coverage later this summer, you can use some post emergence if you wish, but be careful.

Yep... The short mowing heights for Bermuda + our super duper hot weather + the super high doses of Nitrogen that Bermuda loves will kill off most weeds ....

Bermuda spreads so fast that weeds you see *Now* aren't going to cause much long term trouble for you... you will grind them into submission in a month or 2 once it really starts spreading...

Thanks

here are a few pictures of the yard before and after the seeds were planted.
{{gwi:98576}}
{{gwi:98577}}
{{gwi:98579}}
{{gwi:98581}}
{{gwi:98583}}
{{gwi:98585}}
{{gwi:98587}}
{{gwi:98588}}
{{gwi:98589}}
{{gwi:98590}}
{{gwi:98591}}

I will take some better close up pictures in the next few days so you can see the actual grass better..again thanks for the advice and help guys..i know the water is standing in that area, when i used the box blade to level out that area had some clay and it lets the water stand. the yard is alot better than it was before. These 3 pics are from the 1st time when i only roto tilled with no box blade UGG..
{{gwi:98592}}
{{gwi:98593}}
{{gwi:98594}}

Bermudaman it looks like you did a fine job of grading and preparing the seedbed. When you broadcast the seed how did you set it into the soil?

Thanks TW,
I actually drove the tractor around the yard for awhile having a few cold beverages and listening to iPod to relax after all my hard work. Then had a big section of chain link fence which i dragged around some after driving on it. The place where i could rent a water roller was out :(
I do have some spots where it is 3 inches tall or better and others where it is only just begun to sprout..So i am sure the seeds were scattered about by the way i did it.

Well the reason I asked you how you set the seeds in is important with Bermuda. Best is to just roll it with a water roller. Next to that just an extremely light raking followed by a good watering.

If you are concerned about mowing to soon perform a simple test:

grad hold of a seedling and pull straight up on it. If it pulls out of the ground root and all extremely easily without effort, WAIT it is not ready to be mowed. If it puts up a fight or the blade of grass snaps into, then it is ready. If it is still tender and not set the lawn mower blade will rip the seedlings out of the ground rather than cut them..

That is why i drove the tractor around the yard for about 30 minutes to press the seeds in, i hoped it will would be next best thing to a water roller. That is an excellent point with pulling on the grass..i really hate to walk on it HAHA..my wife is jealous of it she thinks i spend to much time with it morning before work and when i get home :) actually she is impressed with how it has grown.

Just be patient for now. You will be rewarded for you effort. Just be sure to feed, water, and mow it properly. Like I said earlier forget about the weeds right now as they will come up and you just have to accept that for now. Then in late August or early September after the summer heat breaks we can do something about the weeds if the Bermuda does not take care of it for you.

Even if you had established grass right now you cannot use most herbicides right now because it is too hot, or at least where I live anyway. Most of the post emergence herbicides cannot be used when it gets above 85 to 90 degrees.

"Just be patient for now. You will be rewarded for you effort. Just be sure to feed, water, and mow it properly."

I only wanted to get the 1st mow done because of how much taller the weeds were. I wanted to mow it down so it doesnÂt start to look like a jungle ha-ha...I will be patient, as far as feed and water...It has been 23 days since i spread starter fertilizer when I spread the seed, I also water twice a day.

1. Should i continue to water twice daily?
2. When and what type of fertilizer should be added?

A side note:
Like i said i have been watering twice daily for the last 4 days but prior to that 3 times a day, i noticed yesterday that i had a lot of places where the ground has cracks! Is that because there isnÂt grass in place? I know it has been 99 for ever and my backyard is full sun from dawn until dusk. Should i water 3 times instead?

When i water, I have 4 stations and run them about 30-45 minutes each at 6pm but only about 15-20 minutes each at 6am. Should I change anything I am doing?
Thanks again for your tips and advice!

Ok for the tall weeds set your cutting height as so to cut the weeds down, but not so low they bother the Bermuda seedlings.

It is a little hard me to answer the watering question. If th seedlings have germinated you do need to start cutting back to perhaps one light watering per day. As the roots get deeper you keep cutting back on water. If you know what to look for, wilting and slight color change, you only water when it needs it.

For fertilizer wait until you have mowed the grass at least twice. Then apply a nitrogen only fertilizer like a slow release urea formula of 39-0-0. Repeat every 30 to 45 days up until 30 days before your first frost date. Then when the grass goes dormant for winter, get a soil test done to find out if you need any Phosphorous or Potassium next spring plus any PH corrections or micro-nutrients needed.

Great advice on the mowing height issue...as far as the fertilizer advice, making a note and will follow to a T.

Thanks for all of your help throughout this project of mine and i will post pictures every couple of weeks so you and everyone else can see the way the yard evolves. I know I could not have done it without all of the expert advice along the way.