bob callaway wrote:
I live in Houston, Texas and my yard is composed of maybe 50% St.
Augustine grass, and 50% weeds that have over the last ten years. I have
resolved that I may have to start over and buy sod for my front lawn. I
need to know what is this going to cost? or maybe I should just continue
to pick weeds

Assuming it is not real hot and dry, St. Augustine is fairly easy to
rehab. We did so with our Florida lawn...had mostly broadleaf weeds,
like dollar weed. St. Aug. grows like a weed, so it fills in better
than a lot of lawn grasses. As weeds are killed, plugging can often
fill in quickly and is a lot easier to do than new sod. Fertilize 3x
year, cut high, water deeply 1x week if no rain. Weed B Gone for
southern lawns is good, if you don't have Floratam. There are lots of
mixtures, so check the label. One appl. took down most of our weeds,
and spot treatment for problem areas. Know that the present crop of
weeds has dropped seed, so those will germinate and require some care -
pulling one weed by hand might save hundreds or thousands of weeds from
dropping, so it is useful for the occasional weed. Proper mowing, esp.
in hot, dry weather can avoid lots of weed growth, as it helps avoid
water loss and keeps weed seed from getting as much sun.