Common bermuda IS a weed - I can't imagine planting it or wanting it. Maybe different where you are, but I would not expect any dense even coverage.

You can help the bermuda to become thicker by keeping it mowed short & feeding it more often. Do not let it get tall, mow it often.

Despite other's opinions to the contrary, bermuda is a desirable lawn grass species in the southeast where its durability, disease resistance and heat/humidity tolerance make it a good choice for high traffic areas in full sun. But it is an aggressive spreader, so keep that in mind when to comes to planting beds or other non-lawn areas where it will easily infiltrate and take over if not kept restrained.

Clemson University has a good bermuda grass care sheet; https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/bermudagrass-maintenance-calendar/

this is waaay out there… i read somewhere that the Japanese bettle larva produces this problem?

Hey guys, thanks for prompt response. I appreciate it.

@Chessie, this isn't common bermuda. Its a hybrid bermuda. As I read, it can be grown to high density but probably need a lot of care..

@girlnamedgalez8a, currently I am mowing at 1 inch or 32mm. How short and how frequent I should go?

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), I agree and thanks for the sheet!

1 inch is ideal for a hybrid even shorter if it is Tiff bermuda. It will take a year or so for it to thicken up. Give it a light feeding monthly during the growing season. It really looks about normal for 3 months.

@nel5397, I hope so. Thanks for the motivation! :)

@girlnamedgalez8a, monthly feeding is part of plan now. Just cant wait to see it thick. Haha..

What about herbicides and pesticides? Shall I do monthly too? Is it too early for now?

If you have thin spots after a month, then I'm guessing those areas are getting too much shade. Bermuda should become more dense every day for the first 3 months. If you have any plants, walls, fences, or buildings to the south, west, or east of the grass, and those cast a shadow on the grass, it will never become dense bermuda. Forget about those areas. Plant a different ground cover there. If you plant another tall plant, then the new tall plant will cast a shadow that weakens the adjacent bermuda and you're just chasing the sun around the yard.

Herbicide should be twice a year during the cooler months. Those might be July and January for you. Use a liquid and spray only the weeds. With bermuda it should not need insecticides. Insecticides are the worst thing you can do to an established lawn.

If you have a lot of weeds, it could be from getting too much water. Many weed seeds need continual moisture to germinate. If you water the lawn every day it is easy to get enough water to make weeds. The soil should dry out as much as possible before watering. I would try to get 2-3 cm of water per week including rain and irrigation. If you are getting no rain, then do the watering all at one time and not spread out over the week. You should never ever water every day.

Mow bermuda low at 1, 2, or 3 cm. The lower you mow the more often you'll need to mow to keep it nice. At 1 cm you might need to mow 3x per week while you could mow 1x per week at 3 cm. It depends on how fast it is growing.

Monthly fertilizer is great for bermuda. You can use a chemical fertilizer, but I tend to use organic fertilizers. Any ground up nut, bean, seed, or grain you can find at your local feed store in 20 kilo bags is great AS LONG AS IT IS GROUND UP. If cattle or horses eat it, it's probably good on the grass. Fish food is good, too. The application rate is 10 kilos per 100 square meters or 1 kilo per 10 square meters (easier to visualize when your standing in the yard). You can use organic fertilizer every time or never, but I would do it at least one time per year to keep the soil healthy.

Thanks you @dchall_san_antonio, appreciate all your advices.

Yes, I have shades due to house wall. Refer below picture.

I still wish to plant some grass. Can I mix with other grass like zoyisa (since it is shade tolerant), just at that area? Will it look okay overall?

I take on your advice on herbicides of twice a year. Currently I am planning on 2 types;

1. Almix 20WP (Metsulfuron Methyl 10.1% + Chlorimuron Ethyl 10.1% WP) - to kill sedges and broadleaf

2. Monex HC (MSMA 39.5% + diuron 7.8%) - to kill crabgrass

I am not sure if can I mix both but I will not take that risk as well. Since my country is tropical and with no season, Can I apply quarterly? Eg: Jan (Almix), Apr (Monex HC), Jul (Almix), Oct (Monex HC)

Watering in something I need to study as our rain weather is unpredictable. Usually, we have heavy downpour. Hot sun in the morning and rain in the afternoon. But now I need to make sure water once a week at least I guess.

Mowing is 1 inch and once a week is my current plan.

10kg of organic fertilizer should work for my lawn area. Are you saying once a year for this or once a month? Or use chemical fertilizers once in month?

Well, again, thanks for your great advice!

Fertilize with something once a month if you have the budget for it. Use organic at least once per year for the soil's health.

There are some shade tolerant zoysia varieties, but not all of them are. You'll have to ask around to see what is available to you. Generally zoysia and bermuda look fine together. Where are you in Malaysia? Another grass that would do very well in your shade is St Augustine or what they call buffalo grass in Australia. It is a broad bladed grass and does not match well with bermuda when it is mowed low. When it is mowed high it tends to take over bermuda.

There is nothing you can do about the rain, but if you don't get rain for more than 2 weeks, then I would water. If the soil is not dry, then don't water.

Can you take pictures of your weeds? Get the camera very close, about 6 inches away. It is much better if you can take them under the afternoon clouds so the bright sun on the blades does not cast dark shadows. Your first pictures were very good; I just want to see what weeds you're dealing with. Especially get one of the crabgrass. Crabgrass is a name given to many plants around the world.

I realize you want the grass to look great immediately, but until it becomes dense and established, I would hold off on the herbicides.

Thanks @dchall_san_antonio. I will take your advice on organic for once in a year and monthly on non-organic. I understand how high the cost might go.. :(

Well, I am in southern state, Johor Bahru, close to Singapore.

Here are the weeds pictures.

Yeah, really cant wait to see it dense!

By the way, the grass clippings. Currently I am throwing off since day one. Shall I return it to the soil? Will it help to reduce weeds?

Thanks for the location.

Ok I think I might see another problem. What is your soil like? It looks like pure gravel in the close-ups. In the last picture, is that grass growing in the same soil or are there some topsoil additives in there?

For the leafy weeds, any 2,4-d herbicide should work. Those are much less expensive than what you were looking at. The other grasses might be crabgrass. You can try a crabgrass killer on those. In all cases with herbicides it is best to use a liquid product and spot spray only the weeds you see. For the weed with the really tiny leaves on it, that will pull out with the main root very easily and doesn't really need spray. You can spray the sedges but those will go away (dormant) when they don't get enough water. They like a lot more water than the grass needs, so I just leave them alone in my yard. Unless I'm getting a lot of rain, I never see them.

@dchall_san_antonio, thanks!

Yes, my soil might be a problem as I did not do soil test or even plan for a proper top soil bed. Mine is clay soil I believe. I lightly spread some peatmoss prior to seeding. Probably its a mistake. See picture below before I seed.

If so, can I fix it later but reseeding using peatmoss and seed mix? When would be the best time? A year later?

By the way, any idea on the grass clippings? Thanks. :)

Clay soil should be fine. I thought it looked like gravel. Gravel is hard to sustain grass in.

With bermuda you should never need to reseed. It will take over. I'm very curious, because it should have taken over by now. It does seem thin.

Leave the grass clippings on the turf. They help to protect the soil and feed everything.

Thanks @dchall_san_antonio, I will leave the clippings as per your advice. Below is latest picture.

Yes, the blades are very thin. I am not sure the type of bermuda but this is what I get from our local store. I am surprised too when it hasnt taken over. I had another bermuda grass outside of my house in a very small area. I can see the stolons and rhizomes clearly developed there but not on the one that I am working now. So weird!

I applied MSMA herbicides last Sunday on a portion of my lawn to kill the crabgrass. We had heavy rain daily ever since then and flooding occurs as per below pictures.

I took a look today as it was a bit sunny and below is the picture

Brown patches everywhere. Is this the impact of herbicides or flooding? Anyone?

It got worsen today.. my mistake.. the MSMA killed it!

Any idea to revive? :(