I just moved in with my girl friend- her house has a ratty lawn. The problem
is that this area in central Massachusetts was a glacial outwash plain- so
the soil was pure sand at the end of the ice age. There probably wasn't much
top soil when this neighborhood was built and much of what was here was
pushed around during construction.

The lawn has many almost bare spots- and other spots with nothing but weeds.

I don't know if it's best to first attempt to enrich the soil with
fertilizer with the theory that richer soil will enhance the ability of
grass to compete with weeds- or fist attempt to establish more grass by
vigorously raking with an iron rake, then spreading seed, then frequent
watering- then after the new grass gets started- to fertilize it. With this
alternative, do I need to go light with the fertilizer or get a special
type?

Any suggestions?

Joe