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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.

A spot herbicide for weed control is effective at killing crabgrass and not grass, but it depends on the type of herbicide. Always check the label to ensure that your herbicide is safe for grass but tough on crabgrass. Overall, spot treatment is ideal because it puts fewer herbicides into the soil, which can damage the soil. If you’re wanting a natural remedy to crabgrass that also won’t harm surrounding grass, you can also hand-remove crabgrass or even pour boiling water or 5% vinegar over crabgrass as a spot treatment.

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. 

A lawn that suddenly and quickly turns yellow is typically the result of a dramatic change in the grass's environment. Heavy rainfall can dilute soil nutrients, rapidly yellowing the grass, and dull lawn mower blades can dry out and damage the grass in a short time. Over-fertilizing can yellow a lawn within a matter of days.