I need help getting my lawn turned around from being weed infested to getting grass to grow. I use to have a decent lawn with good grass growing but over the past few years weeds seem to have taken over so i need some help reversing this trend from the lawn experts on this board. I'd really like to do the job myself instead of paying one of the lawn companies to spray a bunch of chemicals on my lawn.

So my question is what products should I purchase from Lowes or Home Depot to kill off the weeds and jump start new grass growing. I see a lot of different products but I'm not sure where to start, what products to buy etc. I don't want to waste money or time buying I don't need or applying them incorrectly. Any advice will be appreciated.

Find a DIY lawn and pest company near you, they are very helpful, know what works best and can direct you to the best materials for your budget to get the job done.

They also offer soil tests that will help determine what will improve the ability to grow a good lawn.

Home Depot is closer to my house so that's where I go.
Scotts is more expensive...
but I think Vigoro is just about as good.

Vigoro
15,000 sq. ft. Weed and Feed Fertilizer $33.28
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vi...izer-52120/204750010

There are 4 steps, I put down the Crabgrass preventer in March. Weed and Feed is the next step.

Aeration helps. Dethatch in the early fall, around Labor Day, and over-seed. Fall is the best time for grass seed.

‘New grass’? Do you have seed planted or is this an established lawn? The normal ‘Weed & Feed’ does a plenty good job for the DIY’er. Just follow directions, apply when grass is wet.

With new grass, or seed planted, one can’t be using regular weed & feed. The instructions will tell you that.

If and when I feel like a nice lawn, I can do pretty well with weed & feed in the Spring, a touch of high nitrogen fertilizer at times, water as appropriate. This is for an established lawn.

Not saying a service doesn’t do better, they may well do. The homeowner can get close enough with a little attention.

I do think the name brand stuff may be better, Scott’s, whoever, check active ingredients.

Q4 Plus Turf Herbicide

https://www.domyown.com/q4-plu...erbicide-p-1930.html

About 2 ounces covers 1000 sq ft.

It would help if we knew what part of the world you live in....

https://www.youtube.com/user/LawnCareMidwest/videos

The Lawn Care Nut is a good place to start.

I have used Ortho weed b gone with good results.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
It would help if we knew what part of the world you live in....

^^ THIS ^^

Recommendations for southern lawns (eg St Augustine) are going to be wildly different than Northern lawns (eg Kentucky blue grass). Applying advice from a well intentioned northerner on a southern lawn can be expensively disastrous.

I’ve DIY’d my own lawn in 2 northern states and 2 places in Texas so I speak from experience.

Follow this, it takes time to turn it around. http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
It would help if we knew what part of the world you live in....

Yep

Thats why I suggested a DIY store, they have plans for the area, and can put him on an email schedule that provides notice of upcoming scheduled feeding, weed, insecticide etc.

They know the weather, soil type, grass types and what to use when, at Home Depot we found that you get some guy that's working stock but has no clue as to what should go down at what rate and when or what to do to solve problems.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
Follow this, it takes time to turn it around. http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

Randy Lemmon is great for Houston but if the OP lives in Maine he’ll end up in the looney bin putting down fertilizer in February.

The weeds are just a symptom of a weak lawn.

By all means, kill them.

But they will quickly return if you don't improve the health of your lawn.

Add an inch of quality top soil now - and another inch in the fall. Keep the lawn moist and well watered. Oversee/slit seed now before it gets too hot. Check the PH - might need lime.

I am dealing with them same thing you are now - and I started the recovery last summer and I am already seeing positive results.

I didn't think to mention where I live but it makes sense that what grows well in Florida may not grow well elsewhere. I live in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia and my lawn is an established lawn just over run with weeds.

Get some good weed and feed and water in not unless you use a spray. Keep it mowed and should start seeing results pretty quick. We fertilize twice a year.

Two posts in a week for me.

Contact your county ag service.

The best thing is to get a local company that commercially sprays in your area. They spray the right stuff at the right time of the year and you will end up spending what they charge to do it yourself, plus all of the time for a lesser looking lawn. Find some of the best yards in your neighborhood and ask who they use and how much it costs them a month, or if they do it themselves what they use.

I was spending more money to do it myself than what a commercial company charges me to do it every other month and my lawn is one of the nicest in the neighborhood. So much so that 5 of my neighbors asked me who I use and switched to them.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
The weeds are just a symptom of a weak lawn.

By all means, kill them.

But they will quickly return if you don't improve the health of your lawn.

Add an inch of quality top soil now - and another inch in the fall. Keep the lawn moist and well watered. Oversee/slit seed now before it gets too hot. Check the PH - might need lime.

I am dealing with them same thing you are now - and I started the recovery last summer and I am already seeing positive results.

This is exactly what I did and now I have a weed free lawn that greens up before anyone else on my block.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:

...my lawn is an established lawn just over run with weeds.

A polite suggestion: Start calling it a "yard," which sets lower expectations.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
The best thing is to get a local company that commercially sprays in your area. They spray the right stuff at the right time of the year and you will end up spending what they charge to do it yourself, plus all of the time for a lesser looking lawn.

My experience as well. It would cost me about $275 in materials each year, the pros charge me $325 for a years services. Invariably, I would be late or early with an application and my DIY yard never looked as great as when the pros treated it.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
Follow this, it takes time to turn it around. http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

Randy Lemmon is great for Houston but if the OP lives in Maine he’ll end up in the looney bin putting down fertilizer in February.

I thought of that after I posted, most other forums I’m on have mostly Texans so I didn’t think about where I was posting.