Is there a tree behind that fence? If that area is not in full sun, the Bermuda will continually get thinner and thinner.

the shade is only from 6-8 am. full sun rest of the day. sorry pic was took early in the morning

this is where it was 5 months ago when the trees were cut down and installed a french drain.

yes, my old home had 419 also. I've used the bermuda bible for years now. It's been down for 17 days now. I was planning on cutting soon down to 2 inch and 1 1/2 about 3 or 4 days after that. I have just now started tapering off the water. In the beginning it was 3 inches a day I'm down to 1 inch a day now. Today i'm starting 1 inch every 2 days. I didnt now apply 13-13-13 yet because prior to sodding i put down a few yards of compost. The sod appears to have rooted in.

Would it be a good idea to get it cut lower (1.5 inches), using MSMA around the sod to kill the weeds/centipede, then apply the 13-13-13- to only the bermuda?

i was thinking in the checkered area about filling with topsoil, compost and coarse sand. Would that work?

I believe it is safe to go ahead and put down starter fertilizer. On the MSMA, I would lean on the careful side, since it is not "established" yet. Usually the rule of thumb is to wait to at least a year before using herbicides. As far as spot spraying, I am not quite sure on that. If it were my yard, I would mow low, water deep and infrequently, and feed monthly to get it established and spreading for the first year and then come back next year with herbicides if needed. IMO I would not cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade, so the turf stays healthy while you are getting it established.

I believe that mixture is ok, but I will let someone else chime in on the amount of each to use.

You were watering 3 inches per day??? PER DAY? I can see watering 1/3 inch per day as a total from watering at three different times, but 3 inches is a lot excessive. At this point, had you been watering for 5 minutes each time, 3x per day, I would suggest you back off on the frequency but go up on the amount. So that would be 1x per day and about 1/3 inch total for that one time.

I can't help you with herbicide applications on bermuda. The sooner you can get to mowing 2-3x per week, the faster some of those weeds are going to go away. If some of that is centipede, it loves to be mowed low, so that won't go away from mowing. But it should go away from frequent high doses of fertilizer as prescribed in the Bermuda Bible.

Wow you did that in 5 months? Nice. I wouldn't do anything right now we still have that monsoon coming in the next month or two from Mexico and its to hot to over seed I'd just let the grass go it should all fill in by next year... Maybe over seed with rye in the fall over seeding for the winter seems to keep weeds down for the next year and a Bermuda and rye blend look amazing for the spring.

So I'm taking from this so far, I need to get it cut lower and use the 13-13-13 ?

Without a soil test, I'd use a high nitrogen, low everything else fertilizer. If you're already sufficient or high on potassium and phosphorus, adding it would be a really bad idea.

Well make sure you have the grounds all even before cutting to low or your going to scalp some spots even in the growning season it will take weeks for it to get back right, I'd say the easy thing to do is just drive on it if you can get you're truck back their if not say hi to you're new best/worst friend in the world a tamp granted most of it looks pretty good just a few high spots. For fert get a simple garden test form a store. we were using 15.15.15 out here that stopped fast, my grass is doing pretty great ATM after a few months of putting down 18.5.0. you're just going to have to fill it out. you ever hear the riflemen's creed its the same thing with your lawn. The only thing I can tell you that will work right away evey day all year is keep your blades sharp.

The garden store tests cost about half what the Logan Labs tests cost. One of the features/problems with those is that they seem to give a pH right around 7.0 which happens to be the same as the water used for the test. So that's one thing. Second is that they don't give nearly enough information to make a good choice for a fertilizer or other amendments. I have suggested to garrettluts1 to get a Logan Labs test because I think he might be in a high boron area. If so he might be spinning his wheels trying to perfect his golf course.

Also I agree with morph above. We know that bermuda needs the nitrogen. What we don't know is whether your soil needs any P or K at all. Good soil test will help with that. But then what's the best way to deliver the P and K? That sort of depends on other chemistry factors that only a really good soil test will tell.

O no I know I do. along with a high salt continent from the water just because I won't spend 25$ for each 11 greens doesn't mean I'm not going to look up every one else that did mostly from the city. But the dude has already spend what 3k on sod.. When

it will all grow in a year or two .. Let's not start a flame war dchall_san_antonio you are more educated but you have never grown Bermuda

what should i level with? or should i just order a few more pallets of sod and try my best to fill in the holes?

bic9 we don't do flame wars here (anymore). Besides I'm not sure what your messages are saying. I have had bermuda lawns but that was long before I knew about proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing. They were weedy due to lack of fertilizer and too frequent watering. I accidentally had been mowed those yards at the lowest setting.

Adam, search this forum for topic about leveling bermuda. Basically you get the grass growing very well with water and fertilizer. Then lower the mower as much as possible - rent a mower if you can to mow lower. Rake or blow away the chaff and spread sand. Level the sand with straight boards or brooms. Then use a drag to level it to perfection. Then water it to settle the sand and check for new low spots. Fill those, drag again, water again, and look for low spots. Repeat that last sentence until you're happy. Then let the bermuda grow back up from underneath. The bermuda will continue to settle the sand as it grows in. After about a month it should be very firm. After 2-3 months it should look awesome.

I have decided to have another 3 pallets of 419 deliverd. i am going to fill in all the spots from checker boarding it to save from having to do so much sanding. Whatever i have left over i'm just going to narrow the gap towards the house. You think maybe next year I can have the bermuda start taking over the centipede?

Update time. but not a very good one.

Most of the yard seems to be very hard compacted yazoo clay which makes it hard for the bermuda to spread. It has probably crept maybe 6 inches in the last year.

-Any suggestions to get the 419 to spread faster?

-Any suggestions as to mozing height to encourage lateral growth?

This is where i am 2 weeks after a msma treatment in 90+ degree heat.

Probably not the best idea to post that on the internet. Unless, of course, you've had it since 2010.

I have had it for quite some time now.

Can you just buy another pallet of sod & finish the job? Unfortunately Bermuda only likes to spread when you DON'T want it to... Even then, those are big holes to fill

I've read that healthy bermuda can spread up to 6 ft. in one season. I see the runners have extended probably 18 inches in the past year but it's not like it's taking over the centipede. I've adjusted ph to encourage the takeover of bermuda. would breaking up the soil a little around the bermuda and adding something like Black kow compost help?

How about getting a pro plugger, removing plugs from where it's doing well and plugging them in the empty areas?

Where do you live, Adam? And where did you live before moving to this house?

Centipede should have died out a long time ago with all the water and fertilizer needed for bermuda. Anyway that's all water under the bridge.

Mowing height should be as low as you can go without scalping.

Did you ever get a soil test? If so, what did Morph say about your clay content? Most people who think they have clay don't. They might call it clay, and it might have some clay characteristics, but the cure for the various forms of hardness are different. "Yazoo clay," might be a term for a certain mix of elements and particle sizes along with a certain mix of salts that have nothing to do with real clay. It's usually the salts that cause the hardness. That can be cured with a Logan Labs soil test.

For now you can improve the hardness by spraying with shampoo at a rate of 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet. After 3 weeks you should see the soil become fairly soft following a rain and firming back up before you get around to watering it again.

I live in Mississippi. I've always lived in mississippi. Yazoo clay is a term from Yazoo mississippi. Mostly anywhere around a body of water in mississippi has what's called yazoo clay. I haven't performed a soil test yet. I know i need to so i guess that is next on the list as far as amending the soil.

The plugs don't sound like a bad idea. I may try a 5x5 area to test the results.

At this point I don't see the logic of trying plugs--It doesn't want to spread for you in that soil. I hate to say it, but my personal opinion is that you've tried all other options & it's time to sod it & be done.

If it's not thriving maybe it's time for an entirely different kind of grass, altogether.

There 390 acres of 419 bermuda surrounding my house. (Golf Course). I'm sure it can survive where i live.

I guess a soil test is the next step. Then probably aerate, compost with sand, and fertilize according to soil test results.

So reading back through the last year's of posts I see the standard "help my bermuda grow" suggestions. Did you actually do what was suggested?

1. Mow low (0.25" - 0.5")
2. Mow frequently (2-3 times per week)
3. Feed it (>20-0-0 @ N+ 1 lb/k/month)
4. Level with sand
5. Deep and infrequent watering
6. Soil sample

Additionally I see a lot of trees in the background. Someone also mentioned this as a potential inhibitor of growth. Can you post pictures from your yard so we can see the background to all side of your yard?

1. I can only mow as low as a rotary (honda quadacut) mower can mow.

2. Yes It is mowed twice weekly.

3. 29-0-3 monthly. 8500 sq ft and i just use a full 10000 sq ft bag.

4. Done, pics posted next.

5. 1-2 inches of water a week

6. That is my next step.

5-15-16 2 weeks after it was sanded and smoothed.

6-1-16

I am so glad i sanded and smoothed it out. It is so easy to cut with a mower now. It was near impossible before. But after i sanded and smoothed I noticed about half of what was coming through the sand was weeds. That's why i decided to use MSMA ( I looked but it's not MSMA. It's called TARGET.) Anyways, The trees behind the fence really only provide shade for the grass from about 6am-8am and it's only about 20% of the yard for that time frame. The grass sees full sun the rest of the day.

Here's a previous pic of post "TARGET" treatment

And this is from a couple days ago

This is where i stand.

I'll try that td.

I agree with the alfalfa & organics recommendation, but I would pass on watering 3x daily. It's Bermuda, so frequent water is not needed & can cause more harm than good, especially in such close proximity to a golf course. The grass wants to stay dry, only the weeds want extra water.

If you can grab a big jug of Alaska fish fertilizer & a small pump sprayer at your local box store, that will give you the ability to target the bare areas with a concentrated spray. Stinky fish juice works a dang miracle on plants--It will produce a quick flush of growth in those slow spots almost overnight. It's like waving a magic wand.

The may & June pics look much better than the one you posted Sunday. Your coverage isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer than I thought, so plugging may be a viable option.

I'm serious about the fish thing.. Any brand will work. Sounds crazy, works like magic!

Picking up the fish fert soon. Have you guys heard of or seen black kow compost? II've read and heard it is like magic also.

Link: http://blackkow.com/_html/lawns.htm

Black Kow has more sand in it than I like (price should be lower), but otherwise it should be good stuff.

I agree with reeljake, your yard looks better than the original picture suggests. You a further promote growth by mowing even lower. You can get a reel mower for $25 of craig's list or a motorized reel mower for ~$200. Leave the clippings on the lawn. It will make a ton of difference as far as growth is concerned. The biggest issue is frequency of mowing. The lower you mow, the more often you have to do. If you can commit to 3-4 mows a week for a month or so, you can fill in a lot of area.

Plugging good spot into bad spots will help. Reduce the water to 1" or less per wk (my lawn is doing well on 1/4" every 4+ days in 90-100 degree temps). More water only helps the weeds. Finally, increase feedings - alfalfa, corn (cracked or meal), soy meal, milorganite, etc are your friends. Dump 15-20 lbs per 1000 sq ft every 2 wks (in addition to the synthetic fertilizer) and watch the magic happen.

This is my current routine per 1 k(every 2 wks):

Milorganite x 1/2 bag

Vigoro (35-0-5) @ 2.8 lbs

Corn/alfalfa 10 - 15 lbs

SBM 10 lbs

It may seem rather extreme but my soil is moist, teaming with life and the grass is growing like crazy. I was going to plug some bare areas but I had so much lateral growth before the plugger arrived in the mail that I just skipped that step.

Yeah, it's more of a sand & compost blend, but it works well. A few rocks & weed seeds, but overall it's pretty clean. My mother in law uses it everywhere in her garden.