You might be able to solarize that by putting a clear plastic sheet over it for some weeks in sun to kill the weeds with heat and sunlight. It's not easy in March and April, but it can be done, and the consequences are fairly minor and quickly reversed (you choked off the air to the soil, but...)

It's better done in summer.

Thick layers of mulch (4" or more) can suppress or kill weeds. So if you were to take a weed whacker and destroy what you could, mulch it, and then simply destroy what comes through, that might work. But you can also find yourself with a weed pit from doing that.

Number three is to keep hand-weeding until it's done. A weed torch might help, but March soils are moist and the torch would kill the surface greenery while probably not getting the roots. Similarly, most things like a Weed Hound (which I do love) are going to pull the weed nicely...but that's a lot of weeds.

Your fourth option is the one you don't like, just once. :-)

But hopefully others have other ideas for you, too.

When I have been faced with a situation like that, I put down layers of newspaper (lightly wet them after putting down) and then cover with compost and mulch. You have to overlap the newspaper, so no light gets in under it. This will smother the leaves. Keep it covered until fall or even next spring. It is a form of lasagna gardening. The compost will also help your soil. Just be patient. It will be worth the wait and much more effective than pulling since we often do not get the entire root when we pull!

Just mow. Over time, weeds that need to grow taller than an inch will die.

Where in North Carolina are you. The environments varies significantly from Manteo, to Wilmington, and then to Murphy,

I would start mowing the area, and depending on where you live, spread some contractor grass seed. When you have something growing, then in the fall treat the area with a broad leaf weed killer wait a few week and plant fescue or similar grass seed. I question the need form more mulch to cover and area that has been mulched in the past.

If the area is small the sheets of plastic idea well work, as it cooks the grass when the sun shines on it. Our neighbor in Michigan used the method to kill most of the grass in her yard.

However you go, this is not something that can be done in a season, without spending all of the govenrment handout you got this past year :-)

What is the point of such a large area of mulch for so few plants?

Organic mulch has to be topped off periodically because it decomposes. Which is what has happened here - your mulch has broken down and become a seed bed for weeds. So the thing to do is buy and spread more mulch, over the top of the small weeds you have at this stage.

To mulch or not to mulch? It shouldn’t even be a question. – The Garden Professors™

I would use a scuffle hoe. Like Christopher I am wondering what the purpose of an unplanted bed of mulch is for.

A good hoe on a hot day is a thing of wonder.

Looking at the photo I’m not sure what I’m seeing. Is that a planting bed or a part of the lawn? Since there are no plants there I’d consider it easier and cheaper to mow right over it. I also don’t see the rationale of mulching an area with nothing growing in it.

imo.. either spray it with roundup and cover it with new mulch .. or cancel the woodchip delivery ... and reschedule it for fall ... though i wouldnt want to be looking at that project all summer ... as im guessing its out in front of the house ...

as i read the facts.. he's new to all this .... he wants to make it look better.. and i guess i presumed once it all looks better.. he will start collecting plants to fill the area ...

if that is not your goal.. then the first thing to do.. is remove the beds and restore it to grass.. and be done with it ... just mulch around the shrubs you might want to leave there. ..

if you dont think you want to garden.. all summer long ... most of us consider it therapy ... and aerobic exercise.. then why bother ... the prior owner had dreams.. you dont have to keep those dreams.. or live in the nightmare they created ...

do you want to be a hobby gardener?? .. and then plan on from that decision ...

ken

We have what we call a butterfly garden at our home about 20 miles east of Raleigh. The area grows a little every year and is planted with butterfly bush, Lantana, and several other plants that attract bees, butterflies, humming birds, and all birds. I mulch the area with leaves each fall and occasionally with wood chips from my shredder. We have several other bed where we have flowers planted.

The bed surrounds a large poplar tree, and has a bird bath, humming bird feeder and a bird feeder. (Remember the purpose of the garden, to attract and feed birds, etc,; so don't get upset with a hawk visits your garden they are birds too. ) We have also had deer in the garden.

If you go this way, place the garden close (a couple dozen feet) to your house, in this way it makes it easier to see the activity in your garden. We also keep a set of binoculars handing for when we see an unusual bird.

That sounds wonderful! It must be very wonderful to get to see the little shows nature puts on. (I live in Durham, incidentally.) I'd love to see more birds and butterflies when I look out the window.

If you live in Durham you may wish to visit the Raulston Arboretum, It is in Raleigh across the railroad from the State Fair Grounds just off Blue Ridge Road. We have gotten a lot of good ideas for our yard from the gardens.

In some ways it is better than the Sarah Duke gardens in Durham as in is more of a garden than nature preserve.

After you hoe the growth you should add more mulch. I think it was not thick enough for weed suppression. I know it is expensive to plant beds all at once but in time plants will grow and cover most of the mulched area. Then less mulch, weeding is needed.

We had lots of areas that had left to go to weeds.

The best areas that worked for us were cardboard (over lapping), sometimes thick layers of news paper with mulch on top. Then we had some native ground cover plugs in. we used mostly golden grounsel, (zone 5)For the ares we mow, we just did a mix of deep rooted grass and micro clover. Only had to pull a few weeds before the ground cover did well for us.

knowing the goal you have might also help.

There is also a company we have gotten plugs from that also does woven mat with seeds sown in. https://www.agrecol.com/nativevegetatedmat