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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.

Some of the particular herbicides that work best to get rid of nut grass without killing the grass include Halosulfuron-methyl, mesotrione, sulfentrazone, and metsulfuron. A herbicide like glyphosate would kill nutgrass, but it will kill nearby plants, too.

No, it's not really possible to completely prevent weed growth. Weeds are incredibly resilient—all they usually need is a tiny bit of dirt to sprout, so their eventual appearance is pretty much inevitable. However, you can definitely keep them at bay by getting rid of weeds as soon as you notice them. The longer you let them sit and grow roots, the more they'll spread.

Crabgrass is very resilient, and homemade solutions like vinegar may not be strong enough. Typically, hand-weeding is the most effective option that doesn’t involve harmful chemicals. You can use corn-meal gluten as a natural pre-emergent herbicide, but it’s not as effective as chemical weed killers.