Utah, You almost nailed it. Glyphosate sprayed four or five times over eight to ten weeks should keep bermuda out for a least for a few years. Bermuda grass is a perennial grass that spreads by stolons and rhizomes what you are doing each time you spray is killing the bermuda back to a point, because the herbicide can only translocate so far. Then when you spray again two weeks later whatever you did not kill the first time has rolled out new leaves is susceptible to the herbicide. By mowing after the first spray you may have reduced the efficacy of the herbicide. As far as the raking goes, any bermuda grass that did not get killed by the herbicide sprays quite possibly was spread around your yard with the rake. Your best bet bet would have been to spray and then left the yard alone for the winter. Then in the spring bring out the sod cutter and resod. However, if removing the dead sod is not an option I would just lay the new sod right on top of the dead sod. I would skip the top soil as well. The only advantage to bringing in topsoil is to level your yard if needed. When you bring in topsoil there is always the possibility that the topsoil will have some bermuda grass sprigs in it, and then your back where you started. Tilling is not necessary either all your going to do is spread the bermuda around. You might also need to raise any irrigation heads after sodding. If you don't have irrigation then I would suggest tall fescue it is much more drought tolerant. To keep the bermuda grass out of your new lawn make sure you keep a healthy actively growing lawn through out the summer. When and if the bermuda starts to come back you can spot spray it out with selective herbicides turflon and acclaim, if you go with tall fescue, and then reseed. If you go with KBG then just use round up on small spots and resod. Good luck.

Thank you. Drought resistance is more important than drought tolerance here...I'm only 31, so I don't have too many years of memories...we've only had 1 "drought" that I can remember, the summer of '88. '99 or '00 was dry too, but not really drought conditions. In continued reading, I keep leaning towards TTTF over KBG. I think I figured out the "fluffy", short-growing grass that I had in the front yard as creeping bentgrass...it was ugly. The only thing still inhibiting me from buying some improved TTTF is not being able to see the grasses first hand. I've eradicated many clumps of very thick-bladed tall fescue...so I'm kinda afraid to seed my lawn with it, even though they've been improved to a finer blade. The clumps I've had look like this... http://www.msuturfweeds.net/images/galleries/t_fescue/1.jpg I know it's not gonna be as fine-looking as KBG, but I assume it is far better looking than the fescue in the above link. Looking at TTTF pictures online just isn't the same as being able to see it in person. I love the look that my KBG had...I just don't think I'll be able to maintain it throughout the whole yard to keep it pristine...but if TTTF doesn't compare somewhat to KBG in texture and color, I may just bite the bullet and do what I can to maintain it. I still really want nothing to do with PRG...6 or 7 years of no lawn rust until I seeded the back and side with the mixture in the 1st post. Still undecided...and slowly running out of time, especially if I go with KBG. Entire lawn is dead and heavily aerated. The local OSU extension says Aug. 15 - Sept. 15 is the best time to seed in northern Ohio.

>>First, no everything is coming up using a garden rake. See photos. I assume I need to take everything up before replanting. What's a better way to do this? You're fine, I can see plenty of open soil and the remaining tufts don't seem very dense. Mine looked worse. Far worse. :) >>Second, I'm finding some odd "netting" or "webbing" about 1-2 inches under the soil. What is this? Will I need to take this up??? See photo. I think this might be related to the sod that the previous owners planted but am not sure. Is it plastic, or does it break easily when you touch it? If the latter, it could be a fungal mat, in which case it's just a healthy part of your soil. If the former, it could have been something put down to stop erosion when the ground had no cover. If you can get it up easily, great. If not--and if roots go through it--no problem. If it blocks roots, I'd try to get as much out as possible.

That's odd, I have Cincinnati, OH listed as Zone 6a/6b (you're right on the border). Regardless, Ohio is completely compatible with bluegrass if that's what you want. You may or may not. Personally, I consider bluegrass to be the grass against which all others are measured--and found deeply wanting. But that's because I'm willing to put in the time and effort to optimize performance. And money, let's not forget the money. Bluegrass has absolutely terrible drought resistance, but phenomenal drought tolerance. Or, it wilts quickly and has to be watered, but survives drought very well by going dormant and simply waiting it out. It's the most demanding of the northern grasses in terms of feeding, and really objects if you give it less than 4 pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet per year, delivered just the way it likes it (small amounts in late spring, large amounts in fall). In terms of disease and insect resistance, it's about average. However, planted as a single species (a monoculture), any disease it's susceptible to will run rampant. That's why we suggest multiple cultivars with different resistances to counter that. Planting a single cultivar (a monostand) is asking for trouble (but it can be done). Properly managed, it's an intense green with blue overtones (mine throws blue topaz highlights in sun that, regrettably, don't photograph at all well), a strong grower, and capable of filling in any holes without much additional encouragement. It feels like carpet underfoot. Improperly managed, it's a sickly yellow-green, grows weakly, and gets patchy. Just like any other neglected grass. Plantings are slower to develop than other species, and sprout far slower than most others, so you have to keep after the watering on the seed bed for far longer. If that's what you want, and you're willing to put in the effort, I'd suggest Midnight II, Prosperity, and Moonlight SLT cultivars for you if you want the darkest colors and excellent performance. Award and Bedazzled are two other suggestions, but the Bedazzled won't be quite as dark a green. If the idea is kind of daunting, fescue and ryegrasses are easier to manage but do require occasional overseeding in fall.