 Grassy areas will never be 100% weed-free, and not all turf areas in schools require the same level of weed management. In general use turf, regular mowing and watering may be all that is necessary to keep weeds under control. Fertilizer should also be applied to keep the turf growing vigorously. You may need to oversee it occasionally if patches develop or if the turf becomes dormant. It is generally not necessary to use herbicides on these areas. Athletic turf, such as soccer, football, or baseball fields, requires more intense management than general use turf. You can keep weed problems to a minimum by maintaining a vigorous turf. Make sure you are growing the appropriate turf grass species for your region, and one that can withstand heavy foot traffic. Water, fertilize, mow, and aerate as needed to keep your turf healthy and competitive. Monitor for weeds regularly and remove them when you see them. Try to remove weeds while they are young and before they spread into large patches. If the turf becomes thin or goes dormant, you may need to oversee it. This is mainly done in the fall. Overseed with an appropriate turf species and apply a pre-emergent herbicide after the turf grows. If there are localized patches of weeds, remove them manually or spray a post-emergent herbicide with no residual and then oversee the patch. If you have a very weedy field, renovate by removing all of the turf and then oversee it. Use herbicides only as a last resort and avoid fertilizer products containing herbicides. Weed control is often not needed at the time of fertilizing. It is better to use herbicides only when absolutely necessary and not every time you fertilize. For more information refer to the pest note on weed management in lawns. Refer to the online healthy lawn guide at the UC IPM website for more information on proper cultural management. Keep landscape beds free of weeds with good planning and design. Remove all weeds before planting. A non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate can be used to kill existing vegetation. Plant competitive plants and eliminate as much bare ground as possible with ground covers. For areas with a lot of bare ground put down a fabric barrier with a layer of mulch on top to prevent new weed germination. Be sure to apply mulch at the proper depth and replenish them when needed. If weeds invade remove them when they are small but before they go to seed and be sure to remove the entire plant. Provide landscape plants with sufficient water but be careful not to over water. Drip irrigation provides water only to landscape plants and reduces weed problems. To keep lawn out of beds use a physical barrier such as concrete or another type of mowing strip. Few if any herbicide should be needed in a landscape that is well designed and properly maintained. Weeds around the trunk of trees are difficult to mow can harbor pests can promote crown diseases and can compete for water and nutrients. Keep weeds or other plants away from the base of trees. Use a mulch under trees to prevent weeds from emerging but leave a 6 to 12 inch bare area around trunks to prevent crown disease. Remove all weeds, lawn and other plants before mulching. You can use organic mulches with or without fabric barriers. Persistence is required to manage weeds in sidewalk cracks, parking lots and along building perimeters. Hand weeding with a screwdriver or weed knife is probably the safest and most effective method for removing weeds in these areas. However, a high pressure hose or pressure washer may be more practical for large areas. Less toxic contact materials containing plant-based or organic-based materials such as eugenol or cinnamon oil or non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate may be somewhat effective if applied in cracks. You can try to seal cracks with crack filler or foam products available from home and garden stores. Flaming and hot water treatments are somewhat effective for managing weeds in cracks. Instead of maintaining hardscapes consider installing easy to maintain plants or ground covers. The area along fences may also have weed problems that are hard to manage. Fences supported by concrete are best but if fences are in a landscaped area place mulch along the fence line.