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First, you should figure out whether you have dormant or dead grass. Dead grass won’t come back, so you’ll have to reseed if you’re hoping for a lush lawn. However, grass can go dormant if it hasn’t received enough water or if temperatures are too cold. If it’s still decently warm outside, you can revive dormant grass by watering it. But if it’s mid-January in New England, for example, you’ll need to wait until the weather warms up again. If you want to keep grass green in winter, consider a grass like Kentucky bluegrass, which maintains its color year-round.

The best type of fertilizer depends on the type of grass and your desired end result. Generally speaking, slow-release fertilizers are best for grass, as they gradually release nutrients into your soil instead of all at once, which meets the needs of many grass types. However, the tradeoff is that slow-release fertilizers contain phosphorus, which negatively impacts local water quality. Also, some grasses require different formulations to meet the demands of the soil. Test your soil to see how acidic or alkaline it is before choosing a fertilizer. 

Sugar water helps the microorganisms in the soil break down nutrients, thus helping certain plants grow. In other words, it is okay to water plants with sugar water, but exercise caution and never rely on sugar when fertilizing your grass. Sugar is not plant food and, if applied too liberally, kills the plants you intend to help.

Post-dethatching, lawn recovery includes watering, fertilizing, and reseeding as necessary to restore health and promote growth.