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A soil test can tell you if your yard is experiencing acidic soil conditions, making your lawn limp, weak, and yellow. Raising the pH level by adding lime can improve the yellowing grass situation. However, lime application is only effective if acidic soil is the problem causing the yellowing. 

The best time to apply fertilizer to your lawn is in early fall, though some climates necessitate a different schedule. In most cases, avoid fertilizing late into fall, as this opens up your yard to winter injuries and poor health (though this is a great time to kill weeds.) You should avoid early spring fertilization, as this helps the grass leaves grow, but at the expense of developing root systems. Remember to water your lawn after fertilizing to increase its effectiveness and reduce the likelihood of runoff during a rainstorm. 

Yes, but the best approach is to apply fertilizer well before you actually sprinkle the seeds. Apply fertilizer with an NPK ratio somewhere around 10-10-20, or 10-10-10, depending on soil test results and the type of grass you're planting, about six to eight weeks before planting grass seed. This mix added to loosened soil will give the grass seed its best chance of getting off to a solid start. 

If your grass is stressed from being over-trimmed, try watering it heavily and then allowing it to recover for at least two weeks before mowing again. If you notice brown patches where the grass has died off because it’s too short, you should remove the dead grass and overseed the area. Leaving dead patches can invite weeds and other problems, so if you want a totally green lawn, getting rid of dead patches should include removing the dead sections before reseeding the area.