How do I clear a flower bed over grown with weeds?

I have just bought a house and the flower bed which is about 15' x 4' is over grown with weeds and dead flowers. How should I go about clearing it? Should I spray it with weed killer and then pull up all the weeds and flowers? Or should I just pull them up, I don't want the weeds to come back. We have plans to plant a small tree and flowers but I want to make sure I treat the soil before I plant again. Any tips? Thanks!

How do I clear a flower bed over grown with weeds?
the answer is quite simple if you say that the flowers are dead then go ahead and pull them along with the weeds out.





The next thing you need to do is to cultivate it (meaning to work the dirt) before you do that the next thing after you pull out all the weeds and dead flowers is you need to go to a nursery and get some 3 to 5 50lbs bags of top soil and get at least 3 25lbs bags of fertilizer and if you have a garden hose you're all set and a garden hoe.





The bed is about the right size for a small tiller, OK after you have pulled out all the weeds and flowers first till the dirt till you get it all loosen up, now next add the top soil and the fertilizer and mix them together with the existing dirt and oh don't forget to water after you have tilled all the top soil and fertilizer to keep the order down.





When planting a small tree make sure that the hole is large enough, small trees which are sold come in small wooden planters, now the next thing you need to do ( with some help) is to take the tree dirt and all (do not i repeat do not) remove the dirt from the roots place the tree dirt and all into the hole that you or your spouse have dug up. make sure that it is centered and replace the dirt back around the tree and lots of water to make your tree grow straight take a pole and some wire and tie the pole next to the tree and leave it for the next 3 years or till the trunk of the tree is a little bit bigger and the roots are stronger to support the tree itself. to keep out insects and some small animals put some cedar chips around the tree and spray some insectide around not on the tree.





Planting flowers is mere childs play. to make sure that the weeds doesn't come back look for some top soil that has a weed killer already listed as one of the indgredients (but safe for trees and flowers).
Reply:i would pull out weeds and then use one of the "weed and feeds" that are on the market now. they are suppose to stop weed seeds from spouting.
Reply:What would I do? I would pull them out by hand....be sure to take out roots with them.





Then I would apply a pre-emergence herbicide this will keep weeds from germinating again. Oh it is best used in early spring.
Reply:i would pull out all of the weeds and then spray to prevent further weeds
Reply:I would pull everything. Some weeds have roots that will spread out. You have to make sure you get the roots out also. After you have done that I would till the spot up, then I would spread organic matter and peat moss in the bed and till it all together. After you have put you're plants in put down shredded mulch this will help to keep moister in the ground and put it down at least 3 inches thick. Don't use bark chunks, It doesn't break down as well as mulch does.
Reply:If you don't want to save any of the flowers, go ahead and till. Weed killer is pretty drastic.





If there are pretty flowers or plants, get some kneepads and gloves and start pulling. Its 60 sq ft, don't expect to get it done in one day, but you CAN do it. The benefit is, if the plants you save are in any kind of shape, they will bounce back fast with some water and care (without the weed competition)
Reply:start pulling until it is clean, or you could use a hoe and clear it out. That is about your only options because if you spray anything it will make the soil toxic to regular flowers.
Reply:my dear. just pulling the weeds will not get rid of most of them. spraying a herbicide will for sure kill it all. Glaphosate will do the trick. Round up is glaphosate. remember that this stuff kills EVERYTHING. be careful what you spay it on. Also after you apply it make sure the complete plant is covered. It takes 7 to 14 days for it to work and there is a waiting period before you plant other plants. If the bed is bad enough you may have to reapply in a week or so.
Reply:This fall till it up, put new paper down and then put a light layer of dirt over the top to hold the new paper down. Wait tell next spring to plant. The new paper well dissolve.
Reply:I would buy or rent a small tiller and work the soil until it is ready for planting. Then you can apply a blanket or plastic layer of material to keep the weeds from growing back.





After the blanket is applied just make holes large enough to plant your desired vegetation. Plant the plants in the holes and then cover the rest of the blanket with either a rock or wood chips colored to your desires.





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