I dont have a big selection here but I like to put down alfa alfa pallets and Milogranite together but if your soil was primarily fed with synthetic ferts its pretty much dead. You need to add as much organic content as possible. Compost would be a good start if you can get some or even compost tea as long as you put down something else with it. Basically anything organic at this point will improve your soil I would think. When I started I even collected my used up coffee grounds and I threw that on weak spots I noticed on my lawn.

First thing is to read the Organic Lawn Care FAQ. It will probably answer 80% of your questions and give you a basis to ask specific advice.

There is an Organic Lawn Care forum and a Soil forum that will give you lots of information too.

There are a lot of things you could try to condition the soil and roots which will improve your lawn.

First off, start mulch mowing if you don't already. This adds oranic matter into the soil. It gives the micro organisms something to eat and they in turn help feed the lawn.

How much do you water? If you water to frequently, the top couple of inches will always be damp which promotes crab grass and other short rooted weeds. Train the roots of your grass to go deep. cut back watering to once a week, 1" at a time. Water less if you get rain.

How high do you cut the lawn? Another way to help cut back on crab grass is to mow high. Some like it the highest setting on the mower. I like 3.5" - 3.75".

Now, think about feeding the soil, not the lawn if you are thinking organic. Soybean meal and alfalfa pellets are two of the better grain feeds. Spread them at about 15 pounds per 1000 square feet this weekend, then again 3 weekends from now. Milorganite is another good organic fertilizer. one 36 pound bag covers about 2500 square feet. You can mix too, apply all three if you would like at anytime. You can't hurt the grass unless you smother it. oh, and if you add too much...you'll know soon after it rains. you should smell something mild for a couple days, but too much really stinks for a week or so.

By adding these organic ferts to the soil along with mulch mowing, in time you will see a big difference. You may be mowing more often too. After about 2-3 weeks you'll notice it green up a bit...hit it again since your soil probably has no life in it. Hit it 3 times this fall, now, late September, and maybe 1/2 dose in mid October. Then just before ground freeze, apply a big nitrogen number quick release synthetic fertilizer so the roots will aborb all the nitrogen and store it for early spring green up.

Next year follow the holiday schedule for your organic fertilizer, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Columbus day, then the winterizer just before freeze again.

This a cultural change. You need to help the soil come to life by adding those beneficial micro oranisms. You'll see more worms and tiny ants, they are good, they naturaly aerate the soil. It will take a couple seasons, but you'll be happy with the results.

Oh, one more thing, if you spray a compost tea or spread compost onte lawn, that will speed things up quite a bit.

There are more things that can be done, I'm too tired tonight, others will make more suggestions.

Thanks for the advice! Great details, Egghead. Very sorry, I missed that forum (organic lawns). After viewing it, along with the above, I think I should be in good shape. The biggest challenge will be finding 50 pound bags of cornmeal, soybean meal, or Alfalfa pellets in the area. I can get Milorganite, but I rather use the others at some point.

I do mulch my lawn with the grass clippings, BTW. I probably set the mower too low though, at a little below 3".

Also, I do have a compost, but use everything in there for the veggie and flower beds. In that case, would it be sufficient to get bags of seaweed compost from my nursary to topdress the lawn? It is a quality name/company.

I do have one related question though on types of grass I should be using, but I may make a new post for it.