preemergent herbicides

[BERRYHILL]

Does anyone know anything about preemergent herbicides, how they work? how good they are, how bad they are?

[TZ -OH6]

The regular Preen is pretty nasty, so you don't want to use it around anything you plan to eat. The Preen for vegetables (presumably Organic) and products like corn glutten are not as effective, but are safe to use around vegetables. It is probably better to plan on effectively mulching out weeds than rely on "safe" preemergents. Grass clippings also release germination inhibitors so they make a good mulch.

[farmerlon]

a Garden Hoe is the best pre-emergent and/or post-emergent herbicide that I have ever found!

I hope that gives you a laugh... I'm not trying to belittle your question.
For me, personally, I would never be comfortable using any type of chemical weed control in/around my garden.

[gixxerific]

I second the mulch and the hoe.

I did put down corn gluten in my grass for fertilizer it is somewhat considered a pre-emergent due to the fact it smothers the weeds.