inspect your lawn as spring approaches and then decide on the treatment. If you're using herbicide, apply a pre-emergent shortly before annual weeds, such as crabgrass, begin to grow in the spring. A good rule is to apply the pre-emergent before the dogwoods begin to bloom.

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A PreEmergent lawn care product eliminates weeds at the earliest stage of growth — before you even see them. Several key factors are important to consider if you want to use this type of weed killer effectively. 

Have you hesitated to use a pre-emergent herbicide because you didn’t understand what it does or how to apply it? Did you try one and have poor results? 

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1. The weed is eliminated permanently, because the seed is allowed to germinate, and the young tender sprout is killed. A PreEmergent is activated in the top layer of soil, where the weed seeds sprout, and by design it stops the plant from growing. This is one key advantage over just putting down new soil or mulch to bury the seeds. Weed seeds remain viable many years, waiting for a chance to pop up. Pre-emergents break the cycle of constant regrowth of new weeds.

2. A minimal amount of labor is involved in applying either a granular or a liquid version. The chemical is activated by applying water, usually within a couple of days, sufficient to soak it into the ground. It can remain effective in the soil for several weeks up to several months, depending on the ingredient used and the concentration of it. This benefit comes right at the time when there are so many other gardening tasks to which you want or need to give your attention. 

3. Deal more easily with any remaining weeds that manage to escape this treatment. (Wiping out those stragglers deliberately and personally gives you a sense of satisfaction, since you finally have the upper hand!) Most importantly, you are able to knock down any remaining population of weeds before they go to seed. Without relying on a preemergent to reduce the infestation, it always seems to be a losing battle trying to kill every weed before it reproduces. 

4. Each successive season the need to spray a post- emergent weed killer is lessened and perhaps gone for good. The ideal status of completely eliminating weeds would also require that you take other measures to get your lawn healthy, thick and strong, and able to out-compete any challengers. In many yards, due to outside infestations, the need to continue with this herbicide will continue. Yet the advantage will be yours.