Get matched with top weed maintenance pros in Kimball, MN

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.

There are tools known as “sprinkler donuts” that are specially designed to aid in cutting the grass around your sprinkler heads by protecting them from your mower or weed whacker. You can also use a pair of hand shears to do the job manually if you’re willing to get a little dirty.

Weeds can grow through rubber mulch, but it depends on if you removed all the weeds in your garden beforehand. Weeds already in the soil can grow even when using rubber mulch. However, that doesn’t mean that your garden will be littered with rubber and weeds, but it does mean that the occasional weed might still pop up. Another way you can increase your weed suppression is by using landscape fabric as a second layer. 

Look for a broadleaf herbicide, one that has been formulated specifically for dandelions and is considered grass-safe.