Lawn care suggestions...

[Keith B]

Moles are insectavores, they are eating the grubs, worms, insect larvae in the soil, they don't actually damage the grass, but do make the lawn unsightly! Get rid of their food supply and they'll go away! The bug larvae is most likely what is causing the damage! Fertilize the grass and get rid of the pest! Long road won't happen in a single season!
I was a Pest Control Operator for 30yrs! I had Texas Pest Control license 11G

Good advice from an expert.

I deal with moles on my place every year. You can also add Triazinon or other granular or spray insecticides to help kill the insects. Moles LOVE earthworms, so the more fertile and rich your soil is, the better the breading grounds for their favorite food.

[The Annoyed Man]

Here is the best info I’ve found, he’s on the radio weekends.
http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

I just printed out a copy of his lawn care schedule. Thanks for the link.

Thanks to everyone else too. It looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I was just out earlier today, raking up the rest of the leaves from our red oak, and I just can’t believe how weed choked the lawn has become.

Another question..... what do you guys think of fescue as a filler for bald patches?

[Grayling813]

We had a large place in the yard where the grass just wouldn't take hold. Bought a dump truck of rocks and made a rock garden. Planted with low water requiring Texas native plants, cactus, etc. Occasionally have to walk through and pull grass/weeds from the open areas.

[RPBrown]

I confess that I am at a loss regarding lawn care issues ever since we moved back in 2017, and I could sure use some suggestions.

When we first moved to this house, our front lawn wasn’t perfect, but it was respectably good. Today, 2 years later, it is shot through with all manner of weeds; the St Augustine is faring poorly; and moles have turned it into a high risk place to walk. We have a what I would call a large front lawn, and I mean that nearly the whole thing has become treacherous footing. My wife is very unhappy with the way it looks (I confess more so than I am), and because she's not happy with it, I'm not happy.....if you know what I mean.

We water regularly as needed, and are careful not to over-water, so that’s not really an issue. I can no longer afford a gardener or lawn care service....not that the service I used to have (TruGreen) was worth a cup of warm spit....and so I’m curious to know what you do-it-yourselfers who take pride in your lawns do to keep it looking nice.

I'm willing to put in the sweat equity, but I don’t even know where to start...although it makes sense to me to start by killing off weeds and moles. What do you guys suggest?

.

I leave it to my wife. She likes yard work. I don't.

My wife likes yard work also, as long as I’m the one doing it


Really though, if you want an organic lawn, look up the “Dirt Doctor “. It took a couple of years to get in shape but pretty low maintenance now

[Chaparral]

Scott’s Weed and Feed might be good to apply when things start growing again.

[mrvmax]

Here is the best info I’ve found, he’s on the radio weekends.
http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

I just printed out a copy of his lawn care schedule. Thanks for the link.

Thanks to everyone else too. It looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me. I was just out earlier today, raking up the rest of the leaves from our red oak, and I just can’t believe how weed choked the lawn has become.

Another question..... what do you guys think of fescue as a filler for bald patches?

You can call into his radio show (he’s on today) or email him. He can tell you why not to use Scott’s products and what to seed with. You’ll get a lot of advice from people but he’s an expert on Texas lawns and gardens. I also bought a book from Jerry Baker who used to be on PBS. He tells you why mulching is not a good idea.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/jerry-baker/197466/

A friend of mine (who can grow anything) swears by fish fertilizer but I have not tried it yet. You spray it out of a hose end sprayer but you have to remove the filter from the sprayers pick up tube : https://www.lowes.com/pd/Alaska-Fish-Fe ... od/3083645

[J.R.@A&M]

St. Augustine isn't my favorite turf. It requires relatively more water and more risk of disease. But it endures shade better than the thinner bladed grasses. How much shade do you have?

I once replaced a backyard of San Augustine with bermuda because there was no shade, and I couldn't put enough water on it to keep the San Augustine alive in the heat. That was in McAllen where the two seasons of the year are summer and night.

But my current yard has too much shade for other turf, so I try to trim low lying tree branches, let in more dappled light, and nurse the San Augustine along.

[K-Texas]

I confess that I am at a loss regarding lawn care issues ever since we moved back in 2017, and I could sure use some suggestions.

When we first moved to this house, our front lawn wasn’t perfect, but it was respectably good. Today, 2 years later, it is shot through with all manner of weeds; the St Augustine is faring poorly; and moles have turned it into a high risk place to walk. We have a what I would call a large front lawn, and I mean that nearly the whole thing has become treacherous footing. My wife is very unhappy with the way it looks (I confess more so than I am), and because she's not happy with it, I'm not happy.....if you know what I mean.

We water regularly as needed, and are careful not to over-water, so that’s not really an issue. I can no longer afford a gardener or lawn care service....not that the service I used to have (TruGreen) was worth a cup of warm spit....and so I’m curious to know what you do-it-yourselfers who take pride in your lawns do to keep it looking nice.

I'm willing to put in the sweat equity, but I don’t even know where to start...although it makes sense to me to start by killing off weeds and moles. What do you guys suggest?

TAM, St Augustine does best in shade and requires more water than other turf types, like Bermuda. A well designed irrigation system is a far more efficient way to water, and the best time to water is earlier than most of us are awake, typically. I've designed a lot of irrigation systems in Texas from residential lawns to Golf Courses up to Air Force Bases.

Fertilizing definitely helps, but making sure that the fertilizer, around 10% nitrogen, gets saturated into the soil is your best insurance. Aerating in combination with good irrigation and occasional fertilizing will also help. As far as pesticides, get the best info you can from your local rep of the TX Dept of Ag. or a well trusted local Garden Center/Nursery. As with the case of Round-Up, you want to know what chemicals you come into contact with.

As far as selecting an irrigation contractor. Look for the guys whom will furnish you a printed plan before the trenching begins. If they've been schooled by TELSCO's College of Irrigation Knowledge, that's also a plus. TELSCO is the acronym for Texas Lawn Sprinkler Co., and the manufacturer of Weather-Matic irrigation equip.

[J.R.@A&M]

Here is the best info I’ve found, he’s on the radio weekends.
http://www.randylemmon.com/lawns/fertilize.html

Another question..... what do you guys think of fescue as a filler for bald patches?

Fescue is green, but that aside, it is thin bladed compared to San Augustine. It also does well the n winter and poorly in summer, the opposite of San Augustine. So there might be some visual non uniformity. I’d patch San Augustine with more Of itself.

[cheezit]

When I worked at the prison farm near magic mountain in cali. We used propane and pushed it in the mole and gopher holes with oxygen then hit an igniter. It may a bit of a boom but you would see the dead mole/gophers fly up 8n the air from the other ends of their tunnels.
I'm not sure the city or hoa would approve of this method however

[jason812]

We had a large place in the yard where the grass just wouldn't take hold. Bought a dump truck of rocks and made a rock garden.

TAM, if you go this route, you don't have to buy my rocks. Just come pick up all you want.

[cheezit]

We had a large place in the yard where the grass just wouldn't take hold. Bought a dump truck of rocks and made a rock garden.

TAM, if you go this route, you don't have to buy my rocks. Just come pick up all you want.

Same here, pastures are full of them. Come collect away

[DocV]

Another question..... what do you guys think of fescue as a filler for bald patches?

If the bald spots are due to shade, Mondo grass is shade tolerant. It can take forever and a day to spread but it is very low maintance once established.

[The Annoyed Man]

When I worked at the prison farm near magic mountain in cali. We used propane and pushed it in the mole and gopher holes with oxygen then hit an igniter. It may a bit of a boom but you would see the dead mole/gophers fly up 8n the air from the other ends of their tunnels.
I'm not sure the city or hoa would approve of this method however

I don’t have an HOA (and never will), but I don’t know if any of the tunnels run under my foundations, so I’d like to not blow up my house if it’s at all possible.

[cheezit]

When I worked at the prison farm near magic mountain in cali. We used propane and pushed it in the mole and gopher holes with oxygen then hit an igniter. It may a bit of a boom but you would see the dead mole/gophers fly up 8n the air from the other ends of their tunnels.
I'm not sure the city or hoa would approve of this method however

I don’t have an HOA (and never will), but I don’t know if any of the tunnels run under my foundations, so I’d like to not blow up my house if it’s at all possible.

Figured you get a kick out of it anyway . I'm pretty sure you know what prison I'm talking about as well.