What is the best way to deal with a garden that is a field of weeds?

Hello Elizabeth; I would find someone whom has a tiller, and pay them to till the entire area.

I would then remove all weeds, and begin to feed the soil.

I hope that this helps you!!! Take Care!

Mow

Smother the weeds out with newspapers and newspapers,then cover the area with heavy landscape cloth and top with mulch

I would cut it down as low as possible, and dig out any obvious roots. Some weeds like milkweed can be pulled straight up with the roots intact. I'd be afraid to till before doing this, because I think you're going to get the weeds back that way. We have a small garden area that we let go wild for the monarch butterflies, etc. We love watching them. At the end of the season we cut it down to nothing and use a pitchfork type tool to pull anything out we want to remove. When it starts coming back in, everything is short enough that we can tell what is flowers and what are weeds. For the first part of the warm weather, we maintain it, and then once all the flowers have bloomed we let it go wild. I cut the flower beds down along the fence in our yard the same way before the ground freezes. Any prep beyond the cutting down, would depend what you want it for, what you want to plant.

A little late now, but there is a garden fabric that you cover the ground . You plant in it. It lets in the rain. Also a product a product called Round Up. You can spray directly on the weeds. Make sure none gets on what you want to keep.

Pull the weeds, dig the weeds. Once you are rid of them, Put down Preen Weed Preventer and it will keep the seed born weeds from germinating but will not prevent flower or veggie seeds from germinating. Root born weeds have to be taken care of by hand. If you have stubborn weeds cut them close to the ground and put Round Up on the stump and it will go to the roots of that weed and not get on plants you want to keep. Good luck!

Better hurry though if you're going to use Roundup. I'm being told it's coming off the market as they have linked it to cancer. Should wear a mask too. Stay safe.

One real inexpensive method is to cut everything as short as you can then cover the entire area with a thick layer of wet newspaper. Do it in the late fall and either keep it wet until snow or put something organic on top to hold it in place, like leaves. Then in the spring the weeds should be choked out and you can just till everything in and start planting. Happy gardening.

You are most Welcome, Elizabeth!!

I hope that your Garden will be a huge success for you!! Take Care!