If you really think you have lots of thatch then you may want to look at de-thatching. When was the last time you aerated your lawn? This can even help with the thatch issue if it's not to thick. There are two different ways you can aerate. 1. you can just polk holes into the lawn with a standard aerater or you can do 2. plug aeration. Plug aeration will actuall pull out little pieces of dirt about the size of a small cork. This will allow you to reseed. After you reseed you want to but a small top dressing of compost to cover the seeds but if you don't have compost you can look at doing peat moss (some people are completely against the peat moss but it work) you don't want to let the seed uncovered though. You will want to do that in the fall then next year your lawn will be very thick and will help ward off any weeds. Also you don't want to cut you grass to short try and keep it at about 3 inches. If you water make sure it's a long watering so that the deap root of the grass can use it and not weeds.

I planted mint in the ground out front about 10+ years ago. I have spent every year since trying to get it out. I tried everything, including Round Up. It doesn't care if you pull it up, spray it, etc. I planted an herb and vegie garden out back last year and wanted assorted mint plants. I put one in a sunken pot in my garden, (I did not cut the bottom out as some suggested, thank goodness!), the roots grew through and it started to pop up all around. I think I got it out, this year will tell. Do NOT plant mint in your garden, unless that is all you want to grow. Get a big pot and it will do just fine. I have had spearmint, orange mint and chocolate mint that have grown for years in a pot. Tried apple mint last year and banana mint new this year, (don't think it is very "banana-y")

Wow, there's a weed I wouldn't mind being overrun with! Doesn't grow where I live unfortunately. Wisteria can be one of the most beautiful vines in the world when properly managed. By the sound of it yours has been abandoned. Rather than kill it, what about hiring a specialist to come in and prune it and teach you how to look after it. Try doing a search for a Master Gardener group in your area. If you let us know where you live I will try and find some resources for you.

If you already have St Augustine then you can recover it this season. The secret is to allow the grass to get up to 6 inches before mowing it back to 4 inches (mower's highest setting). The other secret is to ensure it gets water only infrequently but deeply every time. If you get an inch of rain, then you don't need to water. Watering frequency depends on temperature, soil, grass type, shade, cloud cover, etc. Generally this time of year it should be once a month. In the heat of summer it should be once a week. Water a full inch when you water. Measure that with a cat food or tuna can. If you are fertilizing with chemicals, then wait until the grass is growing and you have mowed it twice. If you are fertilizing with organics, you can start now and do it again in April.