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Hello. I moved in to a home with a garden that was about 8' x 35', a big rectangle. I didn't have the time or skill to maintain it. It has become a large area of weeds now. I just want to get it covered with regular grass. I have tried pulling the weeds and they always come back. I am in the Northeast where the cold weather is on the way. Is there anything I can do now to kill the weeds and get it ready for possible grass in the Spring? Thanks

If the weeds have already set seeds....anything you do will spread the seeds.
Personally, I would mow it off, rake it and cover it with leaves (if available) and then rake those off in early spring to plant grass seed.
You can call your local county extension service to see what they would recommend.

What you call "weeds" Ma Nature grows to help protect the soil that is there, and to provide organic matter to help improve that soil. Most of those "weeds", in the Northeast, will be winter killed since they are annuals although there will be seeds from them in the soil you have.
If you want to convert that area to lawn you need to know something about the soil, pH, nutrient levels, amount of organic matter in that soil, etc. You can still contact your state universities Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliabe soil test done and you can still dig in with these simple soil tests,
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
which can guide you in preparing that area for either seeding or laying sod.

Good news!
If a variety of weeds have done well and covered the area, the soil is no doubt going to be fine for the new lawn too.

But of course it is always helpful to know "where" you live and what type of lawn you are planting, including sun/shade exposure, as well as what type of weeds are present. A local nursery or county agricultural agent (as suggested above) would be a great local source for you.

Sod put down in the spring is also an option for you, and may be easier to deal with. Don't forget that it takes the same amount of watering or rain, as seed to establish.

If the area is, as you say, a garden...you know, annuals and perennials; chances are the soil there has been cultivated and should be easy to dig into, maybe with hands.
At least try again to remove as many as you can and use a small cultivator. Try to get all of it...roots and all, otherwise they'll come back.

Covering them with something that is supposed to deny them light would do well if you had a long time to wait and the heat of summer to help. If you want to put down sod between now and the end of the month, your best hope is try to remove the weeds, cultivate, put down some good topsoil or composted cattle or sheep manure, and plant sod.
If you would rather do seeds...its too late this year...seeds need warmer soil temperatures and long days of sunlight. Sod can be planted now.

quote:

Sod can be planted now.

Whether or not you can plant sod now would really depend on where you are and the type of grass you would be planting.
Most grasses are getting ready for their resting season...going dormant now! This would NOT be a good time to put down any sod of that type grass.

The landscape people around here, as well as in the New England areas, are still paying sod and will be up to the end of November since the grass that is that sod is still growing and will still root. What might stop them is 6 or more inches of snow.

quote:

Originally posted by KimmSr:
The landscape people around here, as well as in the New England areas, are still paying sod and will be up to the end of November since the grass that is that sod is still growing and will still root. What might stop them is 6 or more inches of snow.

quote:

Whether or not you can plant sod now would really depend on where you are and the type of grass you would be planting.

DUH!

Let's just, for argument sake, agree that the writer will be planting what is commonly grown in the northeast...a combo of Kentucky Blue, perennial ryegrass and fescue....which is
what makes up 90% of what sod is composed of.

So...yes...it makes a difference what kind of grass the sod is....and since sod in the north
can be planted well into November and will take, the consensus is she should think sod.

.

Karen, its all well and good to exhibit a website that discusses northern cool season grasses that are commonly planted in the region; its quite another to advise somebody its worth their effort to plant just one.

Now--consider the different elements that confront northern gardeners. Snow, sleet, cold, heat, rain, wind, ....do I go on?

If we read about particular one-type grass seed it is plainly evident that it has its good and bad sides. It might stand up to heat better---but demand high moisture.
It might put up with freezing temperatures and not turn brown over winter.
It might take an inordinate amount of nitrogen to get to green up.

Sod dealers don't want to hear from customers that the sod they sold is no good...its brown, or it wont put roots down even though they have followed all the requirements.

Enter the picture a sod that is made up of different seeds. Some that stand up to summer heat; one that doesn't need so much water--important in those areas that restrict water usage; another that stands up to cold winters and bounces back in spring when soil temperatures invite it to turn green.

Instead of bringing us the "seed" story....I suggest you instead go to one of your local sod dealers and ask whether he uses a sod that contains different seeds; then not to take that one example, phone other dealers---get a wide view of how sod is sold in your region.
Only by doing that, can you--in my opinion--suggest there are dealers who sell only one seeded sod........in the northeast.