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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.

The best way to prevent weeds is to use polymeric sand, which hardens and blocks weed growth when activated with water. If you're using regular sand, you'll need to refill and compact it more often. Keeping the surface clean and free of debris can also help prevent weed seeds from settling in the joints.

Vinegar is known to be a contact herbicide, which means it kills the foliage it comes in contact with. Because of the high acetic acid concentration, horticultural vinegar kills weeds and grass more effectively. However, keep in mind that high amounts and multiple applications can affect the soil by lowering the pH levels.

Whether a one-time spray treatment to control mosquitoes is enough depends on multiple factors. Often, you’ll notice a big difference after one application. However, mosquitoes are likely to return if you don't reduce attractive standing water habitats. This usually takes four to eight weeks if it’s still prime mosquito season.