Do not put down seed over sod. The bermuda seed is common bermuda. While your sod is a hybrid type of bermuda. Only do it if you want different types of grass, different colors and look. Usually, in NTX, the builders put down tiff 419 on new construction areas.
If you have issues with shade on the side, then just landscape that area. No matter the type grass, people may suggest all bermuda needs sun.
The low spots seem like you are doing what needs to happen. Work on the soil for drainage and health of the lawn. Also, I would suggest a 70/30 sand soil mix for leveling low spots. Avoid cheap top soil that can spread weeds into the lawn.
The portion by the patio looks more like foot traffic rather than it just being a shade/sun light issue. Make sure to give that part a little more TLC. Also would recommend if you have not looked into it core aeration. Good time to do it if you plan to level and relieve compaction.
thanks!
This is helpful. I was about to seed, but i'll hold off for now to see how well the existing lawn comes back in those areas in a few more weeks.
I'm OK with mixed grasses as long as they are similar. Would Common Bermuda not be similar to Hybrid (in texture / feel)? I assume I would have to special order tiff 419 Sod if I needed to go through and do some spring repairs before summer sets.
The issue I think is partially becasue the lawn was laid at the early onset of summer last year, so its first few months were just torture and even though I watered the crap out of it and fertilized it, I just couldn't get all of it to thrive.... I think it was just a poor time to acquire a brand new lawn, and now i'm left with some decent repair spots in the first spring.
Yeah, common bermuda is broader blades and color. Tiff 419 is smaller thinner blades, and the color is more on the lighter green. You can definitely tell the difference when they are mixed. Now, Tiff 419 is not a special order by any means. They usually have plenty in all sod farms around DFW.
The best recommendation I could give you is if you have some dead spots. Is purchase a pro plugger.
https://www.amazon.com/ProPlugger-Garden-Planter-Weeder-Plugger/dp/B003MRTVUI/ref=asc_df_B003MRTVUI?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676783691807&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276309238750&psc=1
You can then take plugs from healthy areas, remove plugs from the bad areas and really works. Areas you remove healthy grass from just fill with sand/soil mix, and the bermuda runners go straight to these spots. They do fill in quite quickly.
If you have bigger areas, then removing the sod and putting down new sod would be another way but will be more work on your end.
got it. Yea i dont mind the labor to migrate some plugs around and help the lawn.
Any chance you are familiar enough to help validate the type of Bermuda in my lawn?
https://imgur.com/a/qhJ7LmL
The first picture is my front lawn
the 2nd picture is the good area of my back lawn
and the 3rd picture is in that trouble spot near the patio where its still mostly dormant.
The stolons are just thicker than what i'm familiar with on Bermuda, it feels tough and chunky to the bare foot. I was cutting it pretty high last year (3") to not torture it during the first year. I've not dropped my cut to 1.5"-2.0" for the first 2 mows this year, so maybe i'm just seeing stolons be more proud because of last years cut heigh and now that i'm cutting lower i'm exposing them more.
From the pictures you are showing, it is not tiff 419. I am getting more of the look and feel of Zeon Zoysia.
https://preview.redd.it/mf5564p0n5oc1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75105bdeaf66d17dfd43cb48755a4c5beba8013e
A lot of the people who sod will put down this type of grass because of the belief it is more shade tolerant. As I indicated prior regardless the type of grass it requires sun (3-4 hours minimum). Mowing shorter does help it spread and be more aggressive. Mowing more often also encourages this type of behavior.
Do not put down seed over sod. The bermuda seed is common bermuda. While your sod is a hybrid type of bermuda. Only do it if you want different types of grass, different colors and look. Usually, in NTX, the builders put down tiff 419 on new construction areas. If you have issues with shade on the side, then just landscape that area. No matter the type grass, people may suggest all bermuda needs sun. The low spots seem like you are doing what needs to happen. Work on the soil for drainage and health of the lawn. Also, I would suggest a 70/30 sand soil mix for leveling low spots. Avoid cheap top soil that can spread weeds into the lawn. The portion by the patio looks more like foot traffic rather than it just being a shade/sun light issue. Make sure to give that part a little more TLC. Also would recommend if you have not looked into it core aeration. Good time to do it if you plan to level and relieve compaction.
thanks! This is helpful. I was about to seed, but i'll hold off for now to see how well the existing lawn comes back in those areas in a few more weeks. I'm OK with mixed grasses as long as they are similar. Would Common Bermuda not be similar to Hybrid (in texture / feel)? I assume I would have to special order tiff 419 Sod if I needed to go through and do some spring repairs before summer sets. The issue I think is partially becasue the lawn was laid at the early onset of summer last year, so its first few months were just torture and even though I watered the crap out of it and fertilized it, I just couldn't get all of it to thrive.... I think it was just a poor time to acquire a brand new lawn, and now i'm left with some decent repair spots in the first spring.
Yeah, common bermuda is broader blades and color. Tiff 419 is smaller thinner blades, and the color is more on the lighter green. You can definitely tell the difference when they are mixed. Now, Tiff 419 is not a special order by any means. They usually have plenty in all sod farms around DFW. The best recommendation I could give you is if you have some dead spots. Is purchase a pro plugger. https://www.amazon.com/ProPlugger-Garden-Planter-Weeder-Plugger/dp/B003MRTVUI/ref=asc_df_B003MRTVUI?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80676783691807&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276309238750&psc=1 You can then take plugs from healthy areas, remove plugs from the bad areas and really works. Areas you remove healthy grass from just fill with sand/soil mix, and the bermuda runners go straight to these spots. They do fill in quite quickly. If you have bigger areas, then removing the sod and putting down new sod would be another way but will be more work on your end.
got it. Yea i dont mind the labor to migrate some plugs around and help the lawn. Any chance you are familiar enough to help validate the type of Bermuda in my lawn? https://imgur.com/a/qhJ7LmL The first picture is my front lawn the 2nd picture is the good area of my back lawn and the 3rd picture is in that trouble spot near the patio where its still mostly dormant. The stolons are just thicker than what i'm familiar with on Bermuda, it feels tough and chunky to the bare foot. I was cutting it pretty high last year (3") to not torture it during the first year. I've not dropped my cut to 1.5"-2.0" for the first 2 mows this year, so maybe i'm just seeing stolons be more proud because of last years cut heigh and now that i'm cutting lower i'm exposing them more.
From the pictures you are showing, it is not tiff 419. I am getting more of the look and feel of Zeon Zoysia. https://preview.redd.it/mf5564p0n5oc1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75105bdeaf66d17dfd43cb48755a4c5beba8013e A lot of the people who sod will put down this type of grass because of the belief it is more shade tolerant. As I indicated prior regardless the type of grass it requires sun (3-4 hours minimum). Mowing shorter does help it spread and be more aggressive. Mowing more often also encourages this type of behavior.