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Each season’s climate influences approaches needed for effective suppression.

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.

Like sugar, the common household staple baking soda has uses in the yard. Baking soda boosts your plants to resist pests, fungal growth, and more. So, baking soda is good for your plants in certain instances, but exercise caution, as using too much could kill your plants. It’s great for hunting for pesky weeds, but not great for tending to a sensitive garden.

The best time to fight crabgrass with pre-emergent herbicide is when forsythias tend to bloom. In the mid-Atlantic region, this is usually between April and May. Even if you're late to apply the herbicide, it’s effective as long as the crabgrass plant has fewer than five leaves.