Any modifications are up to you. Instructions to pamper the grass is only so it has the chance to mature with no stress. It doesn't mean not to walk on it at all. It does have to be mowed after all. It's just to prevent heavy traffic for as long as possible. Damage is more likely during the early stage after seeding, and it has to be strong enough to endure its first winter. I should warn that no grass can endure two dogs. You might want to give them their own section of the yard to increase your chance of getting as close to a golf course lawn as possible. 1. Get a soil test. Call your nearest state university extension service for a test kit and sampling instructions. I don't know what state you live in or I would link you to the extension service. It will likely take two weeks for results. If you need to apply sulfur, lime, or any other amendment per test recommendation (that is not applied in Step 5), you can do it after seeding if you don't get results back in time. The soil test will determine nutrient level and pH balance most importantly. 2. Mow to within one and half inches, but mow it down gradually. Cut off 1/3 the grass blade and another 1/3 three or four days later. Repeat if necessary. 3. Rake it up 4. Core aerate or cheat and apply Nitron A-35 to relieve soil compaction. 5. Fertilize 6. Sow seeds (slit seeding is best). If you want to slit seed, then don't core aerate and apply Nitron instead. 7. Topdress 1/4 inch layer compost, peat moss, or clean straw (weed-free). (One cu. yard/1000 sqft). 8. water 15-20 minutes twice a day for two weeks water 20-30 minutes once a day for one week water 30-45 minutes once a day every other day for one week water 30-45 minutes once a day twice a week for one week move into deep irrigation, increasing the time to provide 1 inch of water all over and decreasing the frequency to just once a week. Starting off, the schedule supplies roughly 1/4 inch of water, then increases that amount while decreasing frequency of application at the same time. Like practically everything that concerns lawn care, this schedule is a general guideline and should be modified to accomodate your specific conditions. The lengths of time should be modified if you have an automatic sprinkler system since that will not take as long to provide adequate moisture. So, decrease amount of water (time) but maintain frequency as is. The tuna cans test is recommended. If it is still especially warm, you may want to irrigate 3 times a day (10-15 minutes if necessary) for that first couple weeks. Your objective is to keep the upper 1 inch of soil moist and not let the seeds dry out. 9. Baby the grass for the rest of the year. Don't walk on it if at all possible. 10. First mowing is when the new grass reaches two inches. However, the existing grass will be considerably taller, so you'll have to mow down gradually again to the point of mowing 1/3 off the new grass. You do want to get the new grass mowed early at this time in order to promote tillering. Then, you want to gradually raise the mowing height to desired length of 2.5 inches. Higher if you prefer.

Spraying with some kind of poison to kill plants is not really an acceptable thing an organic gardener should be doing since it is unnecessary. Mowing will do a lot toward gaining control, but since many "weeds" can be indicators of soil problems since many "weeds" grow best in soil not good for turf grasses you will need a good, reliable soil test done to see what the soils pH nad nutrient levels are. Many people have acheived satisfactory control of "weeds" in their lawns simply by proper mowing and watering. Mow high and water only as needed. These simple soil tests can also help guide you in making that soil into a good, healthy soil for turfgrass. 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.

The poison ivy will need due care when removing it, and it will need to be bagged and discarded in the trash, it is not something to compost or otherwise use again. The rest can be mulch mowed, fairly frequently, to be kept under control. If the area is to be used as a garden then you need to learn more about the soil and what it needs. Start by contacting your state universities Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test doen so you know what your soils pH and current nutrient levels are and also dig in wioth these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what else that soil might need.

There is no product for bermudagrass, because it's a grass, not a weed. If you kill the bermuda grass, you kill the St. Augustine. Bermuda grass comes straight from Haedes. The only way to get rid of it is to kill your whole lawn and start over, and then it will come back from somewhere else, or on the blades of your yard service mower. It's literally impossible to rid yourself of it completely.