questions about mulch and grass

[arylkin]

Two questions, and let me say thank you so much to everyone for your continued help

Comments

[labradors]

I don't see a whole lot of weeds except in that last photo and i can't tell what it is. If there's not much of it, just pull it or use a spray bottle to spot treat instead of spraying the whole lawn. Otherwise your lawn looks like all the lawns around here in zone 5; last year's drought really did a number on them. Reseed the bare spots asap or use something like patchmaster. The wider mystery stuff does look like crab grass, though it seems too early for that to be as large as it already is. It's an annual and likes ground temps in the 50s and higher. It could be a more annoying perennial. I'd work on reseeding and establishing the lawn now, worry about weeds and crabgrass later once the new grass has been mowed two or three times.
Your second pic is just the lawn getting patchy- most grass seeds are a mix of different types, and over the years one type may die out which is how you get the thin spots and bushy clumps in your first pic.

No idea on the mulch, you've kind of covered them all so it's just looks vs ethics. :) Coca mulch is gross, I tried it in the garden a few years ago and still have a bag and a half unused. It does get white moldy patches, and you definitely don't want it where you'll be walking, it's slimy and really slippery after it rains and clumpy when it dries. It smells great. As for being a dog killer, sounds like it's a rarity: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

[arylkin]

Thanks! I'm going to put down some seed next week then. :)