The first thing you need to do is rid your yard of all of the accumulated debris from last fall until now. Follow these to ensure a green lawn you can be proud of:

• Remove all leaves and other plant debris such as sticks and other dead plants.
• Aerate damaged areas by turning over dirt and removing plugs of dirt and thatch.
• Mow the lawn about 30 percent shorter than normal.
• Apply seed, lime or starter fertilizer according to manufacturer instructions.
• Cover all patches with peat moss or mulch.
• Thoroughly water your lawn and keep it consistently moist for two to four weeks.
• Fertilize again after four weeks.