Question
I am working on my lawn for nutgrass problem and my daughters for crabgrass.  On daughter's sprayed today with ortho for crabgrass. It was very dense and raking it out will produce probably all dirt. It said in 3 to 4 weeks can seed?  Will that be too late for it to mature before winter.  I live in N.Y.  Can or should I use a starter when seeding.  The crabgrass was so bad I plan to rake it out and then apply seed.  Will I have time to fertilize and should I or just use starter.  Will it take since I sprayed the area?
 About my nutgrass.  A landscaper told me it is very hard to get rid of.  Told me to go to nursery and get maintenance program.  Ortho product for crabgrass also says it treats nutgrass.  Which product would be better or cheaper or another words worth the time and effort?  
Also on my lawn I have bare spots. Was dry here so I watered for 2 days in row after 3 PM for 2 hours with back and forth sprinkler.  On 3rd day (morning) I had white fuzz maybe dew on bare spots.  I plan to use compost from home depot and spread on dry looking areas when seed. should I use starter here, too.  Which goes first, starter/seed/compost ?


Answer
Hi Anna, Crabgrass is dead with the first frost, nutgrass is dormant, so I wouldn't worry about spraying.  Seeding is more important, we can always get the weeds out.  Go ahead and seed, if you are using fescue or bluegrass, where you haven't sprayed. You can use a new lawn starter or I like Milorganite.  
You can add compost but you need to till it in.  Bare areas are usually caused by root competition or soil compaction. Sowing seed is a waste of time if you aren't going to loosen the soil. It will come up, but it won't survive long term.  You'll be seeding twice a year.
Add compost, till, sow seed, fertilize, water, in that order.
Next spring, if you don't need to seed, use a pre-emerge crabgrass control to prevent the crabgrass.  Spot spray with the ortho product if any does come up.  I'd use Sedgehammer for the nutgrass.  It will kill in one application, the ortho product will take repeated applications.
Find yourself an independent nurseryman for your maintenance program.  You'll get better information, a better selection of products, the newest varieties of grass seed and someone who can answer you questions correctly. Jim