I have a weed problem

Walk into home depo ask one of them to take you to the weed killer then when your there you ask witch one does the best job get your answer walk out with one(don't forget to pay for it). I think they all do pretty much the same thing. But I know less about this then you do.

The doctor knows best.

no you don't! you have a new hobby!

In the UK most of them use glyphosate as the active ingredient, its just in slightly different formulations and different ways of applying it. One is probably going to work pretty much like another. Things may be different in your country tho if different chemicals are legal.

Its more down to the type of weed you have, some can only really be removed by digging them out. Some species are just so invasive that even tho the weedkiller kills 90% of it, that 10% will regrow with a vengeance.

I would take lots of photos of what you have growing and show the people at the garden centre so they can identify what your up against. Or try to identify them yourself online and read about how to kill them.

yg17 said:

No, not that weed

I bought a house in September and I don't think the previous owner took great care of the lawn. As a result, I have a massive bald patch in my front yard, and where it's not just bare dirt, I have a ton of weeds. I figured I'd give it a go myself before calling in a professional landscaping service (even though I know nothing about this stuff), but there are dozens of products out there so I don't know what's best. Any recommendations on the best stuff I can use to get rid of the weeds and then hopefully grow a nice looking lawn? Thanks.

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You could take a picture to help people identify them. If they are daises which can be a pain to get rid of, get a speedy weeder and get them out (especially before they seed your lawn).
I can tell you though keeping a lawn looking nice, is an ongoing project/hobby.

Apple fanboy said:

You could take a picture to help people identify them. If they are daises which can be a pain to get rid of, get a speedy weeder and get them out (especially before they seed your lawn).
I can tell you though keeping a lawn looking nice, is an ongoing project/hobby.

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I like the fiskars weeder that you pump like a shotgun to get to weed out!

btw is it just me that clicked on this thread expecting to here about using to much recreational drugs?

Apple fanboy said:

btw is it just me that clicked on this thread expecting to here about using to much recreational drugs?

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Nope.

Apple fanboy said:

btw is it just me that clicked on this thread expecting to here about using to much recreational drugs?

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Yeah I thought I was coming to this thread to tell someone to get help. Lol

The Doctor11 said:

Yeah I thought I was coming to this thread to tell someone to get help. Lol

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Glad it wasn't just me then!

Likely, the cheapest way to deal with your problem is to buy some weed. Yes, that weed.

More seriously, consider the pro landscaper angle. One service you'd want from them is to perform a soil test - the results of which will offer what the physical composition (soil types, minerals) and proposed amendments to "fix" the "problems". You'd want to offer what you want to install - a lawn, landscaping (flowers, garden, shrubs/trees) - and you'll get a proposal of what types of amendments, in what proportion, when to install the amendments and plantings, and how to care for your plantings.

I'm assuming that you're in the Northern Hemisphere, and IMEO (in my experienced opinion), it's almost a bit late in the spring season to apply amendment and expect plantings to take - unless you're willing to spend a lot of coin on watering and follow-up care during the summer.

If you're looking for a simple analysis and report, consult a local geotechnical engineer - which is what I do for my clients. A comprehensive report runs me between $300-700, depending on how far they have to travel to my project sites. Some labs have "mail-in" lab packets, where there's a fixed fee for one test that amounts to sending in a typical shovel scoop of material - but I don't use this type of testing, just my preference.

Another alternative is to just bury the yard, paying for imported topsoil - generally $22-30 per CY, plus milage and there's generally a minimum charge. You'd sterilize the existing topsoil, chemically, with a controlled burn, or by placing a special geotextile material (generally not cheap at $6-10 per SY plus installation) and digging through it for shrubs/trees - then placing the import material on top.

I don't partake, but my first proposal should be the cheapest, plus the delivery cost of a pizza or two...

You could just dig up all the weeds too. Or vinegar but I doubt you want to do that

Apple fanboy said:

btw is it just me that clicked on this thread expecting to here about using to much recreational drugs?

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I certainly did.

I had a neighbor a couple of years ago use Ortho and his lawn came out great. This is the time of the year to do things to you lawn.

After weeds get nuked.

Depends how big a spot is bare, if huge then a roto tiller rental might be a good idea to break up the soil and amend it before putting seed or sod back down -- and raking out a bunch of the weeds and old roots.

Or course power tools will likely chew up improperly routed cable tv wires and irrigation pipes. So a garden fork or spade on the moistened bald patch might save on repairs, if it isn't big.

Basically looking at the site preparation guides for putting down a new lawn on bare dirt/weed infested areas is worth a look.

If you aren't in a hurry there are a couple of other ways to kill the weeds without resorting to chemicals.

Firstly you can place a sheet of black/opaque concreting plastic over the area and hold it down with bricks. Without light and on heating up the weeds will all die within a week or so and break down into the soil.

You can do the same with a thick layer of about about six sheets of newspaper as well. Cover the area, wet it down, and then cover it with an inch or so of topsoil or lawn top dressing. Again it will smother all the weeds. The benefit of this method is the newspaper will let water through for the soil microorganisms. After a week or so you can hire a rotovator, churn it all through the soil, and pop some turf down.

I've used both methods on large landscaping jobs with great success

I dunno, after years of trying to grow a lawn and keep it decent, I've switched sides and now am interested in native groundcovers that will grow naturally. Yea, ok, weeds.

I'm actually fertilizing the weeds in my front yard so that they will fill in everywhere, and then I'll use a weedwhacker to keep them at modest heights.

In the winter rye grass is the magic solution. You just spread it and then forget it, and it always comes in great.

Felasco said:

I dunno, after years of trying to grow a lawn and keep it decent, I've switched sides and now am interested in native groundcovers that will grow naturally. Yea, ok, weeds.



I'm actually fertilizing the weeds in my front yard so that they will fill in everywhere, and then I'll use a weedwhacker to keep them at modest heights.



In the winter rye grass is the magic solution. You just spread it and then forget it, and it always comes in great.

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Haha that's one way to do it.
Or you could pave your lawn. Great for parties, no one will have to park on the street!

richwoodrocket said:

Or you could pave your lawn. Great for parties, no one will have to park on the street!

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That's what a lot of people in the American southwest are doing, where water for lawns is in short supply. They turn the whole front yard in to a rock garden. Rocks are pretty easy to maintain!

In my case I'm thinking of putting a very official looking sign out by the street that says, "Weed Garden" so that maybe some of my neighbors will think it's a university research project.

Felasco said:

That's what a lot of people in the American southwest are doing, where water for lawns is in short supply. They turn the whole front yard in to a rock garden. Rocks are pretty easy to maintain!



In my case I'm thinking of putting a very official looking sign out by the street that says, "Weed Garden" so that maybe some of my neighbors will think it's a university research project.

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You might attract law enforcement sooner or later...
And actually, with rocks, it can really a pain because the weeds just grow in between them.

yg17 said:

No, not that weed

I bought a house in September and I don't think the previous owner took great care of the lawn. As a result, I have a massive bald patch in my front yard, and where it's not just bare dirt, I have a ton of weeds. I figured I'd give it a go myself before calling in a professional landscaping service (even though I know nothing about this stuff), but there are dozens of products out there so I don't know what's best. Any recommendations on the best stuff I can use to get rid of the weeds and then hopefully grow a nice looking lawn? Thanks.

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Based on my experience the best but hardest method is get out there with a shovel and dig up/pull the weeds, especially if it's an area with no grass. The second best is a weed killer you attach the bottle to a hose and spray the area. This addresses a large area with a multitude of weeds. After weeds are more under control, more weed pulling or spot applications of weed killer. I usually buy a concentrate, and put it in a pump up sprayer. The least effective weed control method is fertilizer that includes a weed killer. Although I said pulling/digging is the best, for some weeds like dandelions where it's hard to get all of the root, a weed spray is better unless you don't mind continually repulling the same weeds.

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Felasco said:

I dunno, after years of trying to grow a lawn and keep it decent, I've switched sides and now am interested in native groundcovers that will grow naturally. Yea, ok, weeds.

I'm actually fertilizing the weeds in my front yard so that they will fill in everywhere, and then I'll use a weedwhacker to keep them at modest heights.

In the winter rye grass is the magic solution. You just spread it and then forget it, and it always comes in great.

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That's what we had in San Diego, a rock landscape with little steam-like drainage areas and lots of low water req plants (like ice plants). I loved that yard.

Hey, I thought the same too, haha.

I asked my dad. He uses weed & feed on our yard. The only thing is that it kills the grass along with it. So for a small problem, you're better using the sprays (probably Ortho like satcomer mentioned).

He uses a winterizer aswell, but you don't do that until the fall.

Macky-Mac said:

no you don't! you have a new hobby!

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It is a "hobby" to keep your grass looking green and healthy! I am still trying and let me tell you. I am about ready to go the fake grass route!

rhett7660 said:

It is a "hobby" to keep your grass looking green and healthy! I am still trying and let me tell you. I am about ready to go the fake grass route!

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Green Spray paint.