# Preen ?



## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

I asked my friend Doc if he has had much trouble with weeds sprouting up in the spring along his train layout and thought i'd float this topic since it might be the time of year to apply Preen.

from Preen website:

"Preen Weed Preventer stops weeds from germinating in flower and vegetable gardens, in ground covers and around trees and shrubs. Preen will not kill existing weeds. It will prevent new weeds from sprouting – eliminating the need for difficult and time-consuming hand-weeding"

I wonder if folks have used this in the past and if they think it is worthwhile...thoughts?

Scott


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Yes, Preen is a good product for the home owner, or RR owner. Get it on early, but will not last a whole season. Re apply in two months.


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

There is a commercial grade that landscapers use that is much more potent and lasts longer. I will try and find the name and it's availability to the public..Preen however is still a good product and does work. 

The Roundhouse RnR


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Related question; what do folks use to kill grass that pops up in the middle of the garden? Weeds, I can pluck. The grass is working its way up in the cracks of my rock border, and I can't get that stuff out to save my life! 

Later, 

K


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, 

Thanks for asking the question. I have a big box of Preen in my garage that is awaiting use. I missed this Spring's germination period but plan to lay it down once the weeding is complete. During the summer months, I usually spray grass and weed killer along the right-of-way. It will be interesting to see if the weed growth is diminished after the Preen application.

Kevin,

I have concrete blocks lining one side of my layout separating the layout from my lawn. The only solution I have found to eliminate the grass that grows between the blocks is to very carefully spray grass and weed killer between the blocks. This works for Tall Fescue grasses since they propogate via seeds and not roots. At least that's what I've been led to believe. In any case, the grass between blocks dies but not the grasses behind the blocks.

Doc


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

The company that makes Preen (coverage ~ 2,500 s.f. for $28 +/-) also makes a concentrated product marketed as a crabgrass preventive Garden Weed Control w/ Treflan tm, (coverage 15,000 $20 +/-) in a purple bag. The Preen needs to be watered in, about 1/4" rain or sprinkler to absorb into the top 1" of soil. After germinating, the plants will contact the treated soil and die off. 

Lawn grass can be killed with 50% concentrated Round-Up 50/50 mix or straight.. (better than the 18% regular concentrate) 

FYI, woody plants, poison ivy, sumac, etc. survive the winter off sugars stored in their root system and reemerge in the Spring from the stored sugars. If herbicides are introduced in early Spring, while the plants are still drawing up nutrients from the roots, the herbicide can not be drawn down into the roots to kill the plant. Herbicides are more effective in the Fall when the plants are in the storage mode.


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Kevin, 
Preen is a pre-emergent herbicide that keeps seed from sprouting. If you have grass coming up in rocks then...it's already sprouted...so, too late for that. If it's in an area you can apply Roundup [salts of glyphosate] on a sunny day it seems to works best as it pulls it down in to the roots. For careful spot application i have applied it to the leaves of the weed with a brush or wick to prevent overspray. That's one method for killing stuff pretty good. For tiny problem areas you may try handy chemicals in your kitchen like pouring vinegar into an area to wreck the pH of the soil or sprinkling salt, as in "salting the earth". Old school, but it seems to work. Some folks say stuff like a little gasoline works too and of course weedkillers available cheap at Walmart and kmart will knock them down with a tight stream from an old pump spray bottle. Might work for treating tiny, recurring, trouble spots. Another succesful weed killer with no residual soil effects in my experience is boiling water poured on to a weed. Oh yeah, alcohol will also kill weeds, corn meal works very similar to Preen to keep seeds from germinating and in larger areas smothering works well. Newspaper is good for smothering. dig up the area, lay down newspaper. and reapply your mulch or ballast etc.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Round-UP, active ingredient Glyphosate is a very good chemical for killing weeds and grass. Will kill most plants when applied to green foliage, and has no residual effect in the soil. So does not harm near by plants. We purchase 2.5 gallon jugs and mix at 3% with water.


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