I have a flower bed full of thick weeds. how would you clear it?

Smother them out with heavy black plastic or newspapers.

or cardboard

Till them under, cover with newspaper and straw.

Water it well first, then pull pull pull! Then put some (lots) of mulch down!

I have to bushhog my fields 3 times a year. Not because the grass is too tall but, to make sure the weeds do not produce seed. After they have been cut down a few times, most of them just go away to weed heaven. I agree with Molly. Pull them out, then don't allow them to seed.

Try to get out early in the spring and do the 'hand weeding' thing. I used to really hate weeding, but really, it's kind of a nice time. Just me and the sun on my back, and it looks so nice when I'm finished! But, in order to be effective, you have to get to them before they 'seed'. The more 'plants' you have, the less room there is

for weeds, but a fuller flower bed needs extra mulching and plant food. I've never

had much luck with putting down newspaper or plastic ti 'smother' the weeds. But, persistence seems to work pretty well. I just did my flower bed yesterday and it only took me about 45 minutes to cover 80 foot. I have the perfect weeder tool. It's a long 'fork'. . . heavier, of course than a table fork and with only 2 tines. I put the tines in the ground behind the weed with my right hand, and then grasp the weed with my left hand and wiggle until I feel that the weed is loose, That way, I know when I've loosened the roots. I'll have to keep watch through the next 4-6 months and after this first weeding, I try to get them as they emerge, one at a time. I do like the mulch, but then next spring, it needs to be replaced.