Best way to kill my lawn for replanting?

[brandonbull]

My Florida lawn currently consists of 97% weeds and the rest is some St. Augustine. I want to the best way to nuke everything and replant with Bahia or Bermuda seeds.

I understand that a small thermonuclear device, agent orange, and other hard to acquire methods will work but I need something a little realistic but thanks anyways.

Methods off the table:

• Nuking from space or any where else

• Agent Orange

• Burning

 

[spidey07]

What you're looking for is called "total kill". I was looking at doing it. Better get a jump on it, I don't know about your zone but early fall is the best time to kill and reseed/sod.

WARP YOU!
OP below

 

[OCGuy]

Murderer.

 

[Perknose]

I fearlessly predict a short, one sentence reply containing the words "nuke" and "orbit" will presently appear in this thread.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: OCguy
Murderer.

Self defense

 

[dainthomas]

Agent Orange

 

[Sasiki]

Why on earth do you want Bahia grass? I'd rather have weeds. Dad accidently killed his with round up. 4 oz per gallon i think it was.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: Sasiki
Why on earth do you want Bahia grass? I'd rather have weeds. Dad accidently killed his with round up. 4 oz per gallon i think it was.

It grows back fast, little water, and tends to keep weeds out.

 

[Ryan]

Why would you not want St Augustine? I love it, nice THICK blades - I have never been able to achieve the same effect with either of the two grasses you want to plant. It's relatively easy to care for, maintenance for missing patches involves simply filling in the area of missing grass with play sand, it grows like a vine.

 

[Alone]

Burn it?

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: Ryan
Why would you not want St Augustine? I love it, nice THICK blades - I have never been able to achieve the same effect with either of the two grasses you want to plant. It's relatively easy to care for, maintenance for missing patches involves simply filling in the area of missing grass with play sand, it grows like a vine.

I've tried St. Augustine and bugs seem to love to kill it.

 

[BoomerD]

Round-up has worked well for me over the years...sometimes TOO well.
(I still have a barren patch in my front lawn from the time I accidentally sprayed it...and that's over a year ago.)

One of the big tricks to getting Round-up to work best, is to mix 1/8 to 1/4 cup of liquid dishwashing soap in the sprayer. Helps the Round-up to stick to the leaves better...and acts like a wetting agent, helping the chemical to penetrate better.
(a tip from one of my professors who is an Ag teacher.)

 

[IGBT]

roundUp.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Round-up has worked well for me over the years...sometimes TOO well.
(I still have a barren patch in my front lawn from the time I accidentally sprayed it...and that's over a year ago.)

One of the big tricks to getting Round-up to work best, is to mix 1/8 to 1/4 cup of liquid dishwashing soap in the sprayer. Helps the Round-up to stick to the leaves better...and acts like a wetting agent, helping the chemical to penetrate better.
(a tip from one of my professors who is an Ag teacher.)

That's the problem with round up, OP actually wants something to grow (grass) where he's applied it. I would never use roundup where I want to EVER grow something.

 

[brandonbull]

Wouldn't I have to wait a few months after using roundup before the seeds would grow?

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Round-up has worked well for me over the years...sometimes TOO well.
(I still have a barren patch in my front lawn from the time I accidentally sprayed it...and that's over a year ago.)

One of the big tricks to getting Round-up to work best, is to mix 1/8 to 1/4 cup of liquid dishwashing soap in the sprayer. Helps the Round-up to stick to the leaves better...and acts like a wetting agent, helping the chemical to penetrate better.
(a tip from one of my professors who is an Ag teacher.)

That's the problem with round up, OP actually wants something to grow (grass) where he's applied it. I would never use roundup where I want to EVER grow something.

Roundup doesn't sterilize the soil...it only kills the plants. I have LOTS of weeds in the "dead patch," just no "grass." The plan was always to cut it out and re-sod that piece...but I just haven't gotten around to it...yet.
(with my FUBAR'd back, I can't do it myself, so when we have sod put in the side-yard, I'll have it done by the landscaper.) Always seems to be something else that gets the priority

 

[phoenix79]

Originally posted by: brandonbull
Wouldn't I have to wait a few months after using roundup before the seeds would grow?

For the non-professional stuff (read: less effective) a few weeks should do.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: phoenix79

Originally posted by: brandonbull
Wouldn't I have to wait a few months after using roundup before the seeds would grow?

For the non-professional stuff (read: less effective) a few weeks should do.

Ok. I guess I can try it out in my back yard and see what happens.

 

[Soccerman06]

putting down some sort of thick nylon/plastic or rubber mat across your entire lawn works.

 

[alkemyst]

best way is to scrape the soil and sod with Floratam. It's St. Augustine on steroids and will out grow the weeds.

I wish I had it...I have normal St. Augustine and I have to do twice the work/water to keep my yard equal to my neighbor's. His Floratam also grew all the way down past his neighbor that had a 'weed swale' and made it about 75% floratam now...he just put in sprinklers so maybe he will be weedless in a few months.

 

[dabuddha]

Why not just grab a tiller and dig up your whole yard

 

[WolverineGator]

There is no best way and it depends only on how much money and time you want to spend:
1. Rent a front loader/back hoe and rip out the top soil.
2. RoundUp (or homemade vinegar solutions--search web).
3. Solarize soil with plexiglass (ideally for 3-6 weeks).
4. Use shovel and rip out grass.
5. Cover with cardboard (or soccerman06's suggestion).

I used methods #3,#4, and #5 over the last two years. I replaced with Asiatic Jasmine ground cover, bushes (ixora, viburnum, etc.), trees (Holly, fruit trees), and other plants (Mexican Heather, Azaleas, etc.). The best part is it now takes 10 minutes to mow versus 1 hour before.

 

[Gothgar]

salt it


nothing will grow later most likely though


kerosene and a match?

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
best way is to scrape the soil and sod with Floratam. It's St. Augustine on steroids and will out grow the weeds.

I wish I had it...I have normal St. Augustine and I have to do twice the work/water to keep my yard equal to my neighbor's. His Floratam also grew all the way down past his neighbor that had a 'weed swale' and made it about 75% floratam now...he just put in sprinklers so maybe he will be weedless in a few months.

Been there... done that. My floratam looked nice for awhile until the bugs moved in and shredded it. I tried every bug killer and it didn't stop the assault and now I have plenty of weeds and dead grass.

I have this patch of Bahia in my back yard and it is weed/bug free and zero maintenance.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

St. Augustine, is one of the best lawns for Florida,(well duh). When healthy to will choke out, and prevent weeds from germinating. Sounds like you need to spend more time getting your lawn healthy. aerate, gypsum, fertilize, fungicide, insecticide de-thatch, buy a couple rolls at the nursery, and plug the barren areas, and water. Meanwhile, spend a few minutes a week with a tank sprayer and treat the weeds with a herbicide specifically formulated for St. Augustine. Your getting started a little late in the season, but not too late. As to soil sterilizing, all OTC products have been taken off the market, this, IMO is a good thing, I remember the days when you could buy creosote, I, however have a license
<--------Landscape contractor 30 years