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It depends on the type of grass and the condition of your lawn. We advised you to fertilize your lawn at least twice per year. However, warm-season grasses and nutrient-deficient lawns may need to be fertilized up to four times a year. Remember, you don't want to over fertilize either, so soil testing can help to determine if your lawn lacks nutrients and if it’s ready for another application.

You can thicken new grass by using fertilizer, watering it 1 to 1½ inches per week, mowing when it is at an optimal height, and preventing weeds. You should fertilize your grass while you plant the grass seed, or soon afterward. Use an herbicide to prevent weeds or spot spray with herbicide to kill existing weeds.

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.

The best time to fight crabgrass with pre-emergent herbicide is when forsythias tend to bloom. In the mid-Atlantic region, this is usually between April and May. Even if you're late to apply the herbicide, it’s effective as long as the crabgrass plant has fewer than five leaves.