Personally, I think I'd use a metal rake to rake out as much as possible, then cover the area with black or clear plastic and let it solarize for this year. That should raise the temp of the soil beneath enough to kill off the weeds. Then you'll have a fresh start for next year. :-)

You could even till the weeds in as a green manure, if you're careful not to bury them too deeply; you want the heat from the plastic to reach them, so just till into the top 5 to 6 inches or so.

Other ideas, Folks?

I think the most practical way to kill the weeds off would be to use Roundup. This herbicide breaks down in 3 to 5 days in sunlight, so there is absolutely no residual problem in soil. Some of the herbicides out there for homeowner use are the type for patios/driveways etc., which do have a residual effect of a year or so, and this wouldn't be appropriate for a garden area.

The biggest problem you are going to have is the bindweed (the one with the white flowers). This is a notorious weed pest that farmers even have a hard time getting rid of.

Vinegar is used as an herbicide, but it only burns off the tops, a deep rooted weed like bindweed will grow right back.

Personally, if I were you, this is what I would do:

Spray with a strong solution of Roundup. Wait about a two weeks until everything looks REALLY dead. Then, rototill the soil deeply, and let any new weeds and residual roots resprout. Then, spray THOSE with Roundup, wait another week or so, rototill again, and repeat the process. You should have time to get in two or three cycles of herbicide/tilling before fall.

Then, in the autumn (about early October) sow a winter cover crop of rye and winter vetch -- this will provide green manure in the spring and out-compete most weeds.

Next spring, after it's grown to about six inches tall, mow down the cover crop and till it in. Then, spray the survivors and any weeds with Roundup, till again, amend the soil as necessary, and you should be good to go.

Like I said, that is what I would do -- you may not want to embark on such a plan. Another fine option would be to spray the weeds with Roundup and then cover the whole thing with black plastic and cook it until next spring. Then, remove the plastic, till, and plant.

I agree with Jodi. Since you have a year until the land has to be ready, turn the weeds into the soil. In a couple weeks repeat. As long as you have bare ground, weeds will grow no matter what. If turning the weeds into the soil is difficult due to hard ground, take this year to add inches of manure, compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves (run them over with the lawn mower) or whatever. Come spring the ground should be in really good shape for a garden.

Herbicides don't really make sense to me in this case.

Covering the area with a plastic tarp also makes sense although I would make it clear if you want to solarize the soil and kill any seeds and black if you want just the existing weeds dead and prevent any others from growing (clear lets more light through=higher soil temp).

I would purchase a huge truckload or more of manure and cover the garden. this should kill off the weeds. then your garden will grow even better next year.

Below is a link to a long GW thread on bindweed. It has pros and cons for a lot of methods.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Bindweed

Lots of cardboard, lots of compost and lots of woodchips :)

Creeping jenny is tough. I have a running battle with it on one side of my garden. The roots are too deep to dig out, and store an incredible amount of energy; as often as I dig out the new sprouts (and I go 6" deep when I do), new sprouts quickly spring up. I'm persistent, it's resistant... so far the war is a draw, with neither side getting ahead.

I'm organic, so I won't use Roundup; but it might work. As strong as the root is, it might require several applications. But if you do not intend to use the space this year, the black tarp method makes sense. Just be aware... with as heavy an infestation as you have, there are bound to be plenty of seeds that would still come for several years.

Roundup is an amino acid mimic, mammals are highly resistant to it (just like you are highly resistant to the 10-20 toxic chemicals in every single plant that you can eat) and really it only persists for a few weeks in the soil and it declines rapidly in quantity down to homeopathic doses after the first few days.

Round Up won't kill the bindweed anyhow. So it is a moot point. Believe me I have seen this in commercial applications. It is one tough weed with lovely flowers. For some reason Round Up does not kill the roots or rhizomes or whatever they are.
I think the only way to get rid of it is to cover it and hope for the best. Keep pulling it up as soon as it emerges. Don't leave any of the trash in the garden. Give it to your enemy. I got mine in a bag of leaves.
Good Luck,
Tom

What is the name of the weed with the small yellow flowers and the reddish stem?

mscratch, it's purslane. Maureen

here is a discussion of bindweed control.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.co.shawnee.ks.us/images/nwImages/targets/FieldBindweed1targ.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.co.shawnee.ks.us/nw/bindweed.shtm&h=734&w=497&sz=85&hl=en&start=11&tbnid=lwUOdClOXETteM:&tbnh=141&tbnw=95&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbind%2Bweed%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

Here is a link that might be useful: bindweed control

Purslane is supposed to be one off the most nutritious vegetables there is. High in Omega 3's. Start eating it, and it will promptly all die once you have a use for it.

I would like to try it but never see any in my yard.

I was just going to say... Eat the purslane. It's very good.

I agree about eating the purslane. We use it in salads a lot, although I must say the hybridized cultivars are more tender in flavor, more upright, and have larger leaves than their wild cousin. But even the wild stuff is great in a salad, and as others have pointed out, very nutritious.

As for the rest of the weeds, I'd just smother them with straw or bedding hay. If you've ever used a bale of hay or straw before, you know how it comes apart in "books" or "sheets." Simply lay these books side by side to cover the whole area. Nothing will grow through them. The best part is that as they break down they feed the soil, so by next year you can simply make some holes through the hay/straw and do your planting. I have done this numerous times and it works great.

-Diggity

Bindweed is a horrible weed to have to battle. I finally won my three-year battle by using Roundup. Everytime you see it, even the smallest sprig, treat it. You've got to kill the roots. Don't leave any of the live plant behind in the garden because even the tiniest piece of root will take hold again.