NEW GARDEN HELP - Taking over a wild garden full of weeds

[Wild Wolf]

Hi all! Just moved to a property with a very large garden. It will FULL of weeds, has been left wild for a season. We are going into winter and I didn't know the best way to deal with all these weeds. And to really prep this garden for the spring.
Some people have said:
1. Just tarp the whole garden and let the weeds be suffocated out - then in spring, turn over soil, add compost/manure and you're read to go
2. Put compost over the weeds, then add your mulch/carboard - in spring turn everything over
3. De-weed and turn into soil, add compost and then mulch/carboard - in spring you're read to go
Any advice/suggestions welcomed. Thanks!

 

[Meadowlark]

If any weed seed heads are showing remove those carefully and destroy as a first step. It's also advisable to mow the material remaining as short as you possibly can.

I don't know if you can still get cover crops going at this late date in BC...but if you can, that is the next best step rather than tarps, cardboard, weeds. Then next spring turn that all under adding manure compost with it. Winter rye and the others mentioned below can be sown directly over whatever remains after close mowing.

Cereal (winter) rye is probably your best bet for a late cover, very cold hardy. Turnips are very cold hardy as well as daikon radish and both provide outstanding weed control. Crimson Clovers might work but might be too late. Others include winter wheat, vetch, Austrian winter peas (very cold hardy).

This data base would be a great reference, but it currently shows being updated.

British Columbia cover crop database | Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes Lab

Project lead: Raelani Kesler Project personnel: Arisa Nakada, Emma Yates, Carson Li Supervisor: Dr. Sean Smukler Project funding: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Overview The adoption of cover crops by growers helps support healthy agricultural environments and promote ecosystem services...

sal-lab.landfood.ubc.ca

You need to move quickly on any cover crop...actually should have started late August, but even now if you can get it somewhat established it will do great for you through to next spring.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

My take would be to de-weed and cover with clear plastic to germinate as many weed seeds as possible, then hoe them over when they are little two leaves, then repeat that early next spring. If it has been left for long there are bound to be a fair few seeds in there, weeds are really good at that, but I would agree, carefully remove any seeds you can see first.
I wouldn't disagree with any of the options completely, but I would make getting rid of the weed seeds from the soil my priority, so, for example, I might mow and mulch now, then germinate and hoe early in the spring.

 

[GardenWhispererTips]

Tackling a garden full of weeds can be a bit tricky, especially as winter is closing in. Here's a nifty trick I've helped neighbors with: cover the entire garden with a tarp or a nice, thick plastic sheet. This will do wonders in smothering those weeds by blocking out the sunlight.

Then, when spring finally comes around, just unveil your garden, give the soil a good turn, and don't forget to add some compost or manure for that extra boost of nutrients. Voila, you're all set to start planting your dream garden!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Tackling a garden full of weeds can be a bit tricky, especially as winter is closing in. Here's a nifty trick I've helped neighbors with: cover the entire garden with a tarp or a nice, thick plastic sheet. This will do wonders in smothering those weeds by blocking out the sunlight.

Then, when spring finally comes around, just unveil your garden, give the soil a good turn, and don't forget to add some compost or manure for that extra boost of nutrients. Voila, you're all set to start planting your dream garden!

As in suggestion one of the OP

Still think you need to consider weed seeds as well as the actual plants. You might consider making your first crop a good one for weed suppression, as in potatoes, which not only have a thick top growth , but also you dig a trench to plant, earth up, then dig your crop, each of which does for weeds. Another possibility is to pick a crop which grows well spaced with discreet stems, like French beans or onions, where you can easily hoe between the rows and pick out the occasional weed that makes it right next to a plant.

 

[Meadowlark]

Which offers the best soil building between now and spring...natural green cover or artificial plastic?

Which is best to "prep" this garden soil for spring planting...natural green cover or artificial plastic?

The first photo is cover of turnips and radishes, the second of alfalfa.