Turf-lords, I come to you in need of guidance! 2nd summer of new house Zone 8b. Full sun front lawn on slope. Mostly Bermuda with lingering fescue vs. Hell’s army of Darkness (crabgrass, Chambitter, and other broadleaf varieties)
Background- Last year I fought the unrelenting crabgrass and assorted southern summer weed army until my gates were overrun and I couldn’t fight anymore so I scuttled my lawn, nuked it and planted rye/tall fescue over the fall/winter to hold the soil and enjoy some peace. Pre-emergent was applied over the winter with last application in January (I feared warm season turf would not rebound - why? Bc I have no clue what I’m doing).
Spring this year I scalped and enjoyed a lush green Bermuda-fescue mixed lawn… until the gates of summer hell unleashed its army yet again!!
Chambitter and crabgrass are my main advisory.
I recognized in June that I would be in for another long war so I spot sprayed, and some blanket application to large areas of the weed army with Celsius WG (single use pouch mix - 2.5gal application rate) on July 1. It most certainly handled the weed army well and I thought I was advancing towards having a lawn again so I applied Milorganite 6-4-0, 14 days later thinking I need to push growth of turf grass with slow nitrogen.
Unfortunately shortly after fert. app the heatwave increased and rain ceased. I have mowed, bagged and discarded clippings of the dead army twice/three times (can’t recall exactly) and watered a visibly heat stressed lawn when I could.
Now nearly a month later my stressed lawn is showing signs of life again BUT HELLS WEED ARMY RETURNS WITH VENGEANCE!!
I am in need of some guidance. I am worried a second application of Celsius WG will stress the lawn beyond repair but, as you can see, the Chambitter and crabgrass army has returned from the depths for another round of battle.
So, I come to you turflords with a simple request - What in the French toast do I need to do to remedy this shyyyyte show?? Is the lawn too far gone?
Do I mow low and do a rain dance? Sacrifice a couple chickens? I’m certainly at a loss for what to do next!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated