help to get rid of weeds

[RK77]

Hi

I've got a decent size garden but its growing plenty of weeds at the moment on bare soil, there is no grass or lawn, just weeds everywhere.

Also the garden is uneven and to level it I'm planning to put 15cm of topsoil on top of existing soil once weeds removed.

Could someone advice what will be the best solution to remove these weeds permanently. I initially cut them down but they have grown back pretty fast.

I'm based in southeast if that helps.

Once it gets leveled and weeds removed, I'm planning to put turf.

I'm very new to this gardening so please advice as much as you can.

Thanks.

[Billy]

A bit confusing. You use the words gardening and turf interchangeably. I presume that you mean that a lawn is going to be an integral part of a garden which will include other decorative plants. There is nothing that will sterilize the soil this side of nuking it and turning it into glass. There are plenty of chemicals that are quick and expensive that will kill the weeds, the ecology beneath the surface of the soil, possibly some birds, the occasional fish as well, as well as finding its' way into the ground water, and the drinking water of others, effecting the development of fetuses, and young children.

I would urge you to be a good steward of the land and find a nursery that could help you establish an organic lawn (much as our new president has established an organic garden to feed his family. He could have easily grown a garden using commercial chemicals that have been approved for consumption, even though consumer advocates decry their toxicity.

An organic lawn preserves the rich natural life of the soil, and won't become a matter of concern to young family members or your neighbors. Indeed, an organic lawn will let people know that you are a forward thinking person and not just another dumb sod.

It should be said that weeds are simply plants that you don't want to have. Some like the dandelion are both food and medicine.

if you can't identify other plants and their benefits before exterminating them.

To control weeds in the the short term, place newspaper or cardboard over them. This will look horrible, so place mulch over the paper. If you can use lucerne (alfalfa), that would be very beneficial to whatever you plan to subsequently plant, be it shrub, lawn, or vegetables because it also contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (3-1-2). After a couple of week, you could roll it flat and broadcast your lawn seed onto it. Water it in and wait. You may need to re-seed areas, where the grass is thin, but it will grow in. You will have avoided poisoning the ground, the environment, your neighbors, and the rest of the world. And it will be cheaper than buying chemicals.

But do find a good nursery that can answer questions that relate to organic gardening and your local area.

Cheers ;O)

[Phisherman]

There are several ways to eliminate weeds. I hand weed up close to plants, especially delicate plants, then use a hoe. Hand picking weeds is done best after a rain so you can pull out the entire root. If your hoe is dull, sharpen it up using a metal file. A mulch will help keep weeds down, but weeds eventually return. Weeding is part of gardening, probably not the most enjoyable task for gardeners.