Cardboard in a single layer or newspaper in many layers. Tried and true.

Ditto on the cardboard. Lay down a couple of thick layers of cardboard or up to an inch of newspaper. Then you can go right ahead and begin layering your garden bed on top--you don't have to wait for the grass or weeds to die off. Atop the cardboard place an inch of garden compost or clean topsoil then keep layering-- an inch of dried leaves, a half inch of green garden or kitchen waste (no meat or dairy products), an inch of topsoil or garden compost. This is sheet composting sometimes called lasagna gardening. If you can't layer just put your garden compost-topsoil mix on top of the cardboard to about 12 inches or more and you can go right ahead and plant. The cardboard or newspaper below will decompose along with the sod and weeds you covered.

Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

g'day kelli,

newspaper, see our pic's on our site see how we do it.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

Double layer of broken down cardboard boxes with your soil at least 6" deep on top. Trust me that's all you will need. Work's perfect for me. Kill's weeds and everything.

Melissa

All of the options above work.

Depending on the size of your garden and your ambition, you might also use a fork to lift the sod, shake off the excess soil and toss said sod into the compost bin. I like doing this. I find it therapeutic.

But, since you did not use the O word, I will risk saying that I have also used a general herbicide to quickly kill all greenery. You could plant in 2 weeks. I have done this and just planted right into the ground as-is, without removing or turning the dead sod. Just add a good layer of mulch to make it pretty.

Kay (ducking for cover before I get clobbered with something organic)

THANK YOU ALL!! Yes I was shouting!! You have just saved me hours of back breaking work. I will definitely do the newspaper or cardboard idea. Thank you so much for this input!

Kay- I would never clobber you...lol. However, what is in the back yard is not sod, it's basically like pasture (very tough uneven grass)...and since we live in a rocky area, it's too hard to dig, so I was going to do a raised bed anyways.

Thank you for your thoughts though.

You guys are the best!!!!!

Kelli