New lawn - dealing with broad leaf and weeds?

[311Hemi]

The new lawn is 4 weeks post seeding and coming up good. Along with it I have a decent amount of what I think would be considered broad leaf weeds growing. More on one half of the lawn vs the other. Probably 3-4 different type of plants....crab grass in a few areas, dandelions, some clover looking things....but not in the clover shape....and some weeds that are growing taller in single stalks but easy to pick.

Do I deal with these this year....or tackle that next spring with some sort of herbicide?

[hotrod1]

Assuming you will have mowed your lawn a few times before fall, I would try spraying herbicide in the fall after a good frost for the broadleafs. As for the crabgrass and othe grassy weeds, you could either put a pre-emergent down in spring if your lawn is established enough and you wont't have to seed. or you can spray a post-emergent herbicide that controls broadleafs and grassy weeds next year. I spray the post-emergent on my lawn when i start to see any grassy weeds begin to grow and I don't do a pre-emergent fertilizer in spring.

[tednugefan]

get the cheap menards brand fertilizer for weeds then water the grass after you put it out. that stuff works awsome. i put it on my lawn then watered and within 1 day the weeds were drying up.

[Quetico]

I'd follow tednugefan's advice but make sure to watch the labels. Some of those fertilizer weed control chemicals shouldnt be used on newly seeded areas for a range of time. Some will destroy newly seeded areas if applied within 60 of the original seeding. Some brands need less time, others need more time. Just read the label.

[311Hemi]

You guys have been a big help on this, I appreciate the info!

I mowed for the first time this past Sunday (4 weeks). I may try and over seed sometime in Sept, but I could wait and seed late fall and let it come up in spring.

[Tom7227]

do the reseeding in the fall after Sept 1. Don't worry about the weeds until next year. Chances are that the current crabgrass won't be mature enough to seed out if it only got going in july when you finished your prep work. Hemi, man relax, the lawn will be fine.

[311Hemi]

Hemi, man relax, the lawn will be fine.

LOL....will do! Just want to make sure I do things at the right time to complete this project the correct way.

[Tom7227]

Hemi -

You chill out, go on vacation or what? Hasn't been a question on the new lawn in 2 weeks.

OK, I just made it down to the hunting dogs forum. The grass looks great in the pictures - now how is the new dog treating it.

Looks like you scored on both the grass and the pooch.

[311Hemi]

Thanks Tom! The new pup is enjoying it and doing his part to try to turn it yellow! Luckily since I made the yard a lot bigger my older lab only likes to go in the way back of the yard.

Just busy helping the wife with her new garden(s) (she is a Hosta freak), fixing a lawn tractor that I got from a buddy, and taking care of the new puppy!

When the lawn is cut it looks nice...even with the weeds. It is filling in decent, the back half is very nice. I have 3-4 spots that are fairly thin and need to be over seeded....but other than that I will tackle the weeds next spring.

However....I am thinking I should fertilize here soon. I just cut it for the second time yesterday.

[Tom7227]

The hugo feed mill has a set of things on the HSOforum about lawn care tips. Google it and check it out. They just e-mailed one out and yes it is getting to be the time for another shot of fertlizer. I guess the one thing I would check on is what the correct formula would be for your new lawn. You probably gave it a good shot of something when you planted it and you probably need to check with a pro so you don't overmedicate.

[311Hemi]

So should I reseed the areas that need it, and also fertilize? I would like to put down something for crab grass prevention at some point...probably next spring. I would like to do whatever I need this weekend if possible.

I do see some new grass has started growing again in a few areas....but not the main areas I need.

Or, could I reseed this fall just before the freeze, and then also fight the crab grass next spring after the new seedlings are coming in? If I did this would I still fertilize this fall then?

[LwnmwnMan2]

Fertilize this fall, seed now, and spread crabgrass preventer next spring, because you'll probably already have mowed the 3 times needed on those areas come next spring anyways.

If the crabgrass preventer kills some seedlings off, you'll just have to touch up more next fall.

One of the issues with seeding.... you're always "filling in", unless your pH is absolutely ideal, your dirt is absolutely ideal, and you have ideal conditions.

I've had 1 yard in 20 years where we didn't have to go back and reseed an area or two.

[sparcebag]

I seeded last year during the first snow,did'nt rough up the soil or do anything,just spread seed.Best new grass I've ever put in!!