Sorry I can't answer your question. I'm not familiar with seeding lawns. Most lawns down here in San Antonio are planted from sod or plugs. Maybe someone else will come on here that can.

But are you sure you even need a lawn? It might be easier and less expensive in the long run, especially in this drought, to install a xeric landscape; at least partially. For instance we removed all the lawn from our front and side yards and have just a small patch of Floratam St. Augustine lawn in the back yard.

There is a lot of information on the web. One place to start is with Pam Penick's blog, "Digging" and her book, "Lawn Gone".

Also check out "xeric landscaping in Texas" on Google:

https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&q=xeric+landscaping+in+texas&spell=1

Happy lawning ... or not :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lots of ideas on the blog

It does occasionally freeze here in late October, though most often towards the end of November. So, IF you're able to keep it watered, I'd favor planting seed as soon as possible to reduce any problems from an unusually early freeze.

Some winter weeds will already have germinated in 4 to 6 weeks, so might just skip that pre-emergent treatment and catch the more aggressive warm season weed seeds in Feb/March. Some treatments we've used in the past also cautioned about not using on freshly seeded lawns - so, worth checking. Aside from a little annual bluegrass, most of our winter weeds are broadleaf (henbit, yellow woodsorrel/oxalis, etc) that can be done in with a targeted post-emergent if they become too numerous to pull by hand.

Believe the linked Aglife article has the winter weed treatment timing right in early September for our part of the state. November would definitely be too late for our neighborhood. Should be late February/early March for summer weeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aglife on pre-emergent timing for winter weeds

Good point (and website), Roselee. For more of a north Texas perspective on "lawn vs natives", there's also Requiem for a Lawnmower: and other essays on easy gardening with native plants that draws much from work and experiences when the Wasowskis were still in Dallas. No surprise the Google book preview is incomplete, but it's probably available at many Texas public libraries via loan.

Much of our small urban lot is still St Augustine, but are (very) slowly chipping away at it with proven alternatives.

Here is a link that might be useful: Requiem for a Lawnmower preview

This post was edited by bostedo on Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 20:34

Bostedo, thank you for linking the Wasowskis book preview. I like how they describe redoing their garden in increments. I have their "Native Texas Plants" book and refer to it often.

I know that not everyone wants a totally xeric garden, but for anyone comtemplanting making even some small changes the blog below shows how a makeover was done that might be helpful. Be sure to watch the Central Texas Garden video that is linked on the right on the opening blog page.

Here is a link that might be useful: Xeric Style blog ...

Hi. Congratulations on your new home. =)

If the area is really really shady St Augustine will work well but it can't handle Texas sun without a lot of supplemental watering -- and that constant use of irrigation will eventually destroy your soil.

Learning to garden is a bit like learning a new language. The dead sod and weeds are trying to tell you something about your land.

Contrary to the advice you get from TV ads, the weeds do not mean you need to spray a pre-emergent poison onto your land. That is an absolutely last ditch strategy. I never use them or fertilizers on my lawn and it is healthy and lush. My neighbours who do use them have crispy and unhealthy lawns. Any herbicide that kills weeds also kills soil organisms and acts like a slow poison for any trees you may have in the area.

The dead sod and struggling grass interlaced with weeds are telling you something is out of balance with the system that needs to be corrected. It is either the soil, the water or the light conditions.

You can get your soil tested for free or close to free from your local county extension office. They will tell you what -- if anything -- you need to do to improve the soil's nutrition.

You can improve water retention by adding organic material like compost into the soil before you plant anything. As others have mentioned, choosing drought tolerant plant varieties to grow just makes a lot of sense here in Texas.

Observe how much sun you are getting in the area each day. Take into consideration that the sun shifts its angles as the seasons shift. Use that information to make plant selection choices. Different plants need differing amounts of light. Choose plants that want those conditions. Put a sun lover into shade and it won't be healthy: other plants (weeds) and insects will come in to finish it off. Conversely, put a shade loving plant into the sun and you will get similar results assuming the Texas death star doesn't just melt the plant first.

Good luck! It sounds complicated but it isn't really. When you go to purchase your plants ask for help. Let them know what kind of soil, light and water conditions you have and they will be able to help you make good choices.