With last year’s late summer and fall drought, many areas are in need of reseeding. The question comes up about seeding and weed control: should the weeds be controlled first or should the seeding be done first? This seems like a simple question, but it’s fairly complex depending on the turf and weed species present as well as the time of year. Healthy dense turf will help limit weeds and improve herbicide efficacy, but conversely a dense weed crop will outcompete the turf. In most cases, I would favor seeding first and then herbicide application if it is still necessary after the seedlings get old enough to tolerate it. If perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelion or clover are present, those weeds probably won’t be strong competitors with the turf, so seed first and worry about weeds later in spring or next fall. If you expect that extremely competitive summer annual grass like crabgrass is going to be the problem, then I would use either siduron at the time of seeding and/or Dimension after the second or third mowing of the new seedlings. If the area contains a spreading grass like Kentucky bluegrass, you may get enough spread that seeding won’t be needed, and herbicide and a light rate of fertilizer may solve your problem. Conversely, if the area contains the dreaded perennial ryegrass that doesn’t spread, then you may need seeding plus the fertilizer and herbicide. If this same question is asked in late summer, the recommendation is almost always seed first because you can control the weeds well into October and November.