in the world are you? Some areas have already seen snow, but that melted and they are seeing fairly warm days now that can be used to prepare the garden for spring.

What do you mean by "properly pull" things? Those unwanted plants grow in that soil all summer extracting nutrients from that soil and if pulled out and thrown away also throws out those nutrients,

The garden can be covered with either newspaper or cardboard (some seem to think there is a difference in them and there is none) and those can be covered with something else to hold them in place and hide them. You may also want to mulch mow them, if they are somewhat tall before placing the paper barrier. Mulch mowing may help speed up the digestion of those unwanted plants more than simply covering them with a paper barrier.

kimmq is kimmsr

I am located in western Montana, USA. :-) Hasn't snowed yet but could happen any day.

Ten ... take a weedwhacker to the overgrown mess to flatten it out, and cover it with some sort of mulch. Straw works well, woodchips are another possibility.

The freeze-thaw cycle will do a lot towards decomposing the stuff over the winter, and in the spring you can rake off the big stuff and dump it in your compost bins.

The "freeze/thaw" cycle has nothing to do with decomposing stuff, although it may help break the material down into smaller bits and pieces that the bacteria and fungi that do decompose, or digest, that material find easer to much on.

Straw, wood chips, shredded leaves, even whole leaves, if thick enough to exclude sunlight, could work. Using newspaper or cardboard allows the gardener to use less of the vegetative waste to accomplish the same objective.

kimmq is kimmsr

Kimmsr -

Decompose: to cause something (such as dead plants and the bodies of dead animals)
to be slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes.

You forgot part of the definition.

"Ecology. an organism, usually a bacterium or fungus, that breaks downthe cells of dead plants and animals into simpler substances."

kimmq is kimmsr

I'm having the same problem. Family crises/no time have led to an extremely overgrown garden (in just one season!!!) and I want to perhaps do some lasagna type action...I am in Colorado. What is best way to get rid of weed seeds that have surely taken hold? do as above, bury them deep in layers and hope that the seeds can't find the light?

Cover that planting bed with newspaper or cardboard and cover that with another mulch material (shredded leaves, wood chips, straw, etc.) to deprive the plants growing there of access to sunlight they need to grow.

kimmq is kimmsr

shinyquarters ...

Planting your veggies WILL bring them to the surface, as wiull any raking and tilling.

In the spring, be ready with the "hula hoe" to slice off any that sprout. If you catch them young they are easy to get rid of.

A good mulch covering the soil will help keep any seeds from unwanted plants ("weeds") from germinating as well as help with soil moisture conservation, help with controlling soil temperatures, and add organic material to the soil. A good mulch cover might also reduce the need to use of a hoe.

kimmq is kimmsr