Do not mow your lawn right after using Weed B Gone. Weed killers need several days to work their way from the leaves to the roots in order to be effective.

Using a weed killer is quick and easy but may be quite expensive, depending on the size of your lawn.

Removing the weeds non-chemically is more tedious, but it's instantaneous and very inexpensive. You might want to invest in a good weeder like Fiskar's which I love. It's quick and easy on your back.

Actually, a combination of the two might be most effective: remove weeds such as dandelions with your weeder and use the weedkiller on clover or other clumping weeds.

Once you choose a method and remove as many weeds as possible, your next step will be to order some good topsoil from a greenhouse or landscape company. You should calculate coverage of at least a half-inch depth, but they will be able to advise you on how much to get. Then spread good quality seed.

After a few days, monitor your lawn and use your weeder to extract any weeds which start poking through.

I would not advise rototilling. One of my neighbors did that a couple of years ago on his weed-infested lawn, and the result was a lawn with lots of neat rows of weeds.

As for weeds from neighboring lawns, all but one of my neighbors have weed-infested lawns yet my lawn remains weed-free because of my regular 'weed patrols', as I call them.

BTW, once established, be sure to fertillize as recommended.

Good luck.

Ontario bans wide use of herbicides and it's largely due to this ban that we have seen an acceleration of weed growth. I wouldn't use them anyway for safety reason and also one small bottle of weed killer would not be effective on a large yard of weeds.

Don't rototill because tap rooted weeds (like dandelions) will multiply from tiny pieces of roots. you will just spread the seeds. Rototil works when you want to prepare the grounds for new plants. breaking soil oxygenates the soil and makes it healthy for whatever is already living in it.

You can resod it yourself. I've done it. It's cheaper to get sod direct from suppliers rather than thru seasonal garden centers. I don't know if the hardware stores rent out machines that remove the sods in your yard but if they do have it, maybe it may can be cost less to rent it out. Once you've remove the grass, prepare the soil by evening it out, remove rocks and remains of old weeds. Then have your new sod & top soil delivered. lay down a bit of soil using a rake. Lay down sod the way you lay down carpets or tiles. topdress with a bit more soil and water down. Don't let the lawn dry out. In early fall, sprinkle with grass seeds and top them with a bit of grit (brick sand) to prevent birds from eating the seeds. By spring those seeds will come up as new grass. Re-seed in spring every 2 weeks. Top dress with a thin layer of topsoil and grit again. (in fact, top dress & reseed every spring)

Another thing about resodding. -- is what to do with the old stuff. Well, in my case, when I marked out an area for my garden bed, I piled it upside down in the same area and let the old grass rot away. This made the soil very rich and I was able to plant a number of good perennials on those mounds.

If you do choose to weed your lawn gradually - which is my preferred option, water the entire area down so the soil is loose. Take one of those large garden forks and stab the earth to wiggle the weeds loose and then pull the weeds out. I had done this for my backyard and managed to remove over 99 percent of my dandelions this way. Crab grass is quite easy to remove but just so tedious. They also reseeds so fast. When you do see young crabgrass, that a rake and scratch them loose. This is enough to kill them. When you see young weeds growing in spot, just disturb them and it wil be enough to kill them.

Another method of suppressing established weeds is to take thick black plastic and block the area from the sun for several days. The lack of sunlight will kill everything beneath the sheet.

Thank you so much!!!

Just a thought. http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-a-Clover-Lawn
I have done lots of research last year, because like you, everyone around us has loads of beautiful yellow flowers that want to explode after a few days and share their beauty. Our house is on a hwy and of course with the winters and salt and sand from the snow removers it kills the grass close to the road. We have started using clover and it grows fantastic and doesn't get too tall and it stays green, no burn marks (we have a dog too) Do some research on clover and make up your own mind. It is a personal decision, and if you are like us, too busy to maintain, on a budget etc, this might be for you.