I’m in the NJ area and just entering my first year of DIY lawn maintenance. I used Tru Green last year and what a waste of money that was. I won’t get into it, but I decided it’s better to just do this on my own.

For the most part my lawn is pretty good. There are some dry (yellow/white grass spots) and I threw down some seeds and fertilizer last year in the fall before it got really cold. I don’t think that did anything but I tried.

Now that it’s getting warmer, I want to do what I can to make the lawn greener, weed free, and healthy for the long term. I’ve got some old dry/dead weeds along the driveway that I want to permanently remove and some dandelions seem to be emerging along the driveway.

Before we hit full spring weather, I’m thinking of throwing down some pre-emergent and post-emergent. Thing is, after browsing DoYourOwn.com, I’m so confused on what to get, how much to use, and how to effectively approach this project. Can anyone help with removing the fog from my eyes and maybe give me some tips or suggestions on what to buy and effectively make use of?

Budget wise, I’m hoping not to spend more that $500, but if it’s worth it to spend more to get good results, I’ll do it. I think I have about 1000 sq/ft of yard space to cover. Any advice and recommendations would be a god send so thank you.