If you have experience solarizing, go for it. If nothing else it will seriously reduce the amount of weed killer you need to use (if any). If you need to use a chemical on the clover, Weed-B-Gone makes a special strength version called Weed-B-Gone Oxalis, Clover, and Chickweed. The weaker version lists those weeds on the label but the good stuff has them in the big print as the name on the bottle.

Clover leaves a bunch of seeds behind. You may be solarizing next year, too.

What kind of grass do you have? I'm guessing you have at least some Kentucky bluegrass if you are saying the dead lawn has recovered. Fescue lawns do not recover in the same growing season without additional seeding (in the fall).

I have no idea what kind of grass - it has just been here for the 30 years I have - today after your response I went out and looked at it - in some spots in the bad area there is scanty grass between the weeds - in other places it really is just solid weeds. I have a lot of "lawn" around my house ( I am on several acres in the country bordered by woods)- in other places out back - and going up the field past my veg gardens which is mowed less frequently. The quality varies, but I have never had this wasteland before and as it is in my front yard, I guess I need to do something. I think I will try killing weeds in small patches with the special Weed Be Gone you mention and see if the grass around them survives. Solarization will, of course, kill everything so maybe I'll wait and see if I can coax the grass back. I assume a thin layer of screened compost would also help if the weeds begin to die and a little grass survives. I have never over-seeded but I guess I am about to learn about it!

thanks for reply.

There are two kinds of grass. One spreads out like a carpet (sod forming) while the other kind forms individual plants (bunch grass) which slowly enlarge themselves. Fescue and rye grasses are bunch grasses. Kentucky bluegrass, zoysia, bermuda, St Augustine, and centipede are sod forming grasses. There are other grasses but these are the normal turf grasses.

If your grass has not filled in since killing out the weeds, then you do not have any sod forming grasses. It is likely you have mostly fescue. Fescue makes a great lawn, and some of the varieties flourish in shady areas. The only drawback is you have to reseed every fall if you lose some grass in the spring or summer. This would be a good time to learn how to do that. In NH, now is the time to start. Here are the general steps.

1. Kill the weeds and rake them out.
2. Mow the grass low
3. Scatter seed
4. Water 3x per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for only 10 minutes. Continue that watering for 3 weeks and until you have about 80% of the new seed sprouted.
5. Mow when the grass is 5 inches high. Mow it back to 4 inches until the new grass is established. Then pick your favorite height from 3 inches to 4 inches.

There's a little more to it, but not much.

Solarizing at the end of August in New Hampshire isn't likely to be overly successful - the sun is no stronger now than it was on April 15th, and NH is pretty far north.