Clover is a sustainable, low-maintenance alternative to turfgrass, allowing homeowners to put away the mower while enjoying a lush and consistent lawn. The plant also attracts pollinators, adds nitrogen to low-nutrient soil, and holds up in a range of climates. Consult a local lawn care professional to determine whether replacing your grass with clover is right for your yard.

A spot herbicide for weed control is effective at killing crabgrass and not grass, but it depends on the type of herbicide. Always check the label to ensure that your herbicide is safe for grass but tough on crabgrass. Overall, spot treatment is ideal because it puts fewer herbicides into the soil, which can damage the soil. If you’re wanting a natural remedy to crabgrass that also won’t harm surrounding grass, you can also hand-remove crabgrass or even pour boiling water or 5% vinegar over crabgrass as a spot treatment.

If you spray a DIY vinegar solution that contains high salt, it can disrupt the soil's structure and make it difficult for plants to grow. That's why it's vital to avoid spraying vinegar solution on areas where you are trying to grow plants and flowers. When using a mix of vinegar and soap, some say you can plant a few days after the vinegar dries. 

Ultimately, pulling weeds vs. spraying them depends on what’s happening in your yard and your personal preferences. Manual weed removal doesn’t introduce any chemicals into your landscape, targets specific problematic plants, produces immediate results, can be free if you go the DIY route, and is inexpensive with a weed service if you only have a handful of weeds. On the other hand, spraying is often preferable for severe weed infestations and situations involving difficult-to-pull weeds because it treats multiple weeds at once, is usually more effective long-term, is less time-consuming, and costs less when done by a pro.