I have a back yard that just went to the weeds. I used all the right
products and did all the right things. I know I did it right because
my front yard looks fine except under a tree where the grass is slow to
grow but is filling in.

However, in the back yard, I have stickers of all kinds, johnson's
weed, and other weeds. The main weed which destroyed the lawn is a weed
which grows extremely quickly. I have seen this weed get up to 6 to 7
foot tall unchecked. The stickers are in strings which grow out of the
top. This weed went from a few in the yard to taking over and chocking
out the grass I was growing. Its main stalk can be anywhere from 1/2
inch to 2 inches thick and be 3 foot high in a matter of 2 weeks.

In the spring, I had graded the back yard and seeded it. Grass began to
grow. Then within 2 weeks I started to get this weed. the more I killed
it the faster it seemed to grow. Where I had one suddenly I had a
patch. The weed has taken 95% of the lawn.

The weed killers I want to use will kill the little grass I have and
may prevent grass growth.

I have had a lawn care person tell me I should regrade and till the
yard and put down a new type of grass which grows extra fast. I saw it
on TV once but have not seen it again and can not remember the name.
This grass is supposed to grow anywhere even on cinder blocks which was
part of the TV ad. I was told that the weed I have is spread by birds
and if I have open dirt they will start up. That I needed to either
roll out grass which is extremely costly or buy this extremely fast
growing grass. Supposed to come in plastic jar of seeds which covers
100sq ft.

Any suggestions? I do not mind using this type of grass but I would
rather know how to stop this weed problem now and not have to deal with
it all winter long. I live in West Texas where the grass can grow all
winter. There is little dormant time. The grass may remain dormant for
as little as a 2 to 3 weeks until late December/ January. Feburary is
the only month the grass is totally dormant. We just do not see much
of a winter here. maybe a few days here or no more than 2 weeks there
with almost no snow fall to speak of.

I just want to get rid of the weeds in a cost effective way. I say
this as I have several properties and I have never had this problem
before. With other weed problems I have been able to either spray the
weeds gone or hire two men for $40 to pull all the weeds and straiten
up the flower beds. Grass of choice is plain bermuda. second choice is
carpet bermuda which is way softer to the feet but has a lighter green
to lime color.

However, this problem is resisting the roundup, weed be gone and others
I have tried. It kills them but new shoots replace the ones I killed.
Within days its like I did nothing at all.
So HELP!