Question
Thanks for your response Charlotte -- it was very helpful.  The first thing I realized is that I didn't buy enough sugar.  I'll go back and get 50 pounds more.  But after I've spread around the sugar, and maybe some lava sand, alfalfa meal and agricultural cornmeal, it seems that the only thing that's growing there now (dollar weed) will be gone and I'll be left with bare ground.  Do you have any thoughts re the next steps necessary to establish a decent lookimg lawn?
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-----Question-----
It seems that my yard is very good at growing dollar weed but little else.  I'm headed out to buy 25 pounds of sugar, but what else should I do to establish a decent lawn after the sugar destroys the dollar weed?  Any additional thoughts will be greatly appreciated.  Many thanks, Loren
-----Answer-----
Hi Loren;
Will the 25 pounds of sugar be enough to put at least 1 pound per 250 to 300 sq.ft. of lawn?
If so, put it down, water it in well,( at least 6 inches deep), and that will do more them you think.
To jazz it up a little more, you could also put down some lava sand, alfalfa meal and agricultural cornmeal.
what the alfalfa meal and lava sand do is add more nutrients. What the agricultural cornmeal does is prevent fungus.
If your area is prone to mildews, molds and fungus, that is a good idea to put that down. I usae baking soda for treating fungi.
Here are some articles I took from a site I belong to, dirtdoctor.com.
It is written by Texas' "organic guru" Howard Garrett, and these are some parts of studies he put on the site about these products.
I have used the alfalfa meal, especially on my roses, and it really spurs growth. I have used lava sand. I have not used the cornmeal as I have been on the organic program for a long time, and after a good organic enviornment is established, fungi just aren't a problem anymore.
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Alfalfa Meal: Alfalfa provides many nutritional benefits not only for plant use, but for soil organisms as well. One very important ingredient is tricontanol, a powerful plant growth regulator. Orchid and rose growers make an alfalfa tea and spray it directly on as a foliar fertilizer. Alfalfa is very high in vitamins, plus N-P-K-Ca, Mg, and other valuable minerals. It also includes sugars, starches, proteins, fiber and 16 amino acids. Sprinkle lightly over garden and water, or use about a handful (depending on the size) around each rose, tree, or shrub. Approximate analysis is 3-1-2. Alfalfa meal and hay used for mulch contain vitamin A, folic acid, trace minerals and the growth hormone 搕ricontanol.?Use at 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet or 400-800 pounds per acre. Alfalfa helps plants create larger flowers and increases the tolerance to cold. Make alfalfa tea by soaking 1 cup of alfalfa meal per 5 gallon of water. Good for all flowering plants. Research has shown that using more is not better. At recommended rates alfalfa works wonders on roses but it can be overused causing adverse effects.
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Alfalfa Tea: Put one cup alfalfa meal in a 5 gallon bucket. Fill bucket with water, let it sit from 1 to 4 days. The result will be a thick tea. Apply generously to the root area of shrubs and flowers or use as a foliar spray after straining the solids out. The longer it brews, the better it is but the worse it will smell.
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Baking Soda: Sodium bicarbonate can be used as a natural fungicide for black spot, powdery mildew and brown patch by mixing 4 teaspoons (approximately 1 rounded tablespoon) per gallon of water along with one teaspoon of mild liquid soap or horticultural oil and spraying foliage. Be careful to keep the spray on the foliage and not on the soil as much as possible. Baking soda is composed of sodium and bicarbonate ?both are necessary in the soil but only in very small amounts. Potassium bicarbonate is a good alternative for those concerned about sodium.  Potassium is better for the soil in most cases
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Corn Gluten Meal: Corn gluten meal is a natural pre-emergent fertilizer (9.5-0.5-0.5) that reduces the germination and establishment of troublesome annual weeds. It is available as a powder or in granular form. It is 60 percent protein and approximately 10 percent nitrogen by weight. It is a by-product of the wet milling process and commonly used in pet and livestock feed. It can be used in vegetable gardens as a fertilizer and can help with weed control, but be careful. It can damage the germination of your food crops. Use it only after your vegetable seeds are up and young plant roots are well-established. It is a powerful fertilizer and will create large healthy weeds if applied after they germinate. This unique use of corn gluten meal was discovered by Dr. Nick Christians and his research staff at Iowa State University. Corn gluten meal is on the market as an EPA registered product. It抯 also still available in generic bags at most of the local nurseries and feed stores specializing in organic products. It was determined that corn gluten meal stops root formation of germination sprouts. Seeds treated with corn gluten meal developed top shoots but no roots and died when water was withheld from the soil surface. It was also tested for detrimental effects on established grasses. Not only does corn gluten meal not damage mature grass, it is an excellent organic fertilizer.
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Cornmeal: Cornmeal is a powerful natural fungus control. May also be effective on other soil borne diseases. Apply to soil at 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Use at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet or 200-800 pounds per acre to add cellulose and stimulate the beneficial microorganism that controls several disease pathogens such as Rhizoctonia, Pythium, Fusarium, Phytophthora, and others. Can also be used in pools and water features to control algae at 2 cups of cornmeal per 100 square feet or 150 pounds per acre. It is also useful on pond algae. Apply to ponds and lakes at 150-200 pounds per acre to control algae.

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This is a small sample of the information on these pages.
I would recommend you look into subscribing to the site.
There is a subscription fee of about $25.00 per year, and you get an  email newsletter, a snail mail magazine and an online magazine, in addition to having full access to the site, the forums, and videos on different organic subjects.
I have been a member since last spring, and I have learned so much from it, and had some very posing questions answered on the forums.
The web address is     www.dirtdoctor.com.
Let me know any time I can help. I am very glad to share any information I gain.
Charlotte  

Answer
Hi Loren;
Next step is to put in the grass.
I p[ersonally like sodding grass in. It is a faster and m,ore sure way of getting grass.
All the grass seed I ever tried to plant was mostly eaten by birds.
If your soil is fairly loose so that it will let the roots grow and water seep in, then just lay the sod down and keep it watered till the roots take hold.
If you use St. augustine or one of the varieties of that, you can lay the sod pieces about 6 inches apart, fill in between the sod pieces with soil, and the roots will spread and cover the bare areas in just a few weeks.
Check with your local nurseries as to when the sod will be available for planting, or if you decide to try and seed it in, when is the beast time to put down grass seed, and what is the best variety for your area.
Charlotte