How do I get all the weeds out?

[simperingsally]

This is my first garden so dont really know much about gardening so would apreciate a little advice please.

I have a little raised veg/flower patch in my garden. Its very small.
I'd say big enough for a few flower plants,

The thing is its full of weeds. I did deweed it a few months ago but then left it as i was busy with dd and with all the rain etc i havent gotten around to it so its all overgrown again. I have no clue how to get all the weeds out and the grass from the lawn that seems to be growing in it.

Is there something i can use to kill off the weeds and will i be able to grow anything if i do?

Thanks

You can either just keep digging away, removing the weeds by hand. Perennial weeds will sadly regrow from the small part of roots left in the ground - they are a real pain!

You just keep removing and removing, getting as much out as possible - over time this will work.

Or, you can use a glyphosate weedkiller which will kill everything and those weeds won't come back. I'm told the active chemical ingredient breaks down in the soil so should be fine to use after a couple of weeks or so. However many organic people worry about this and have doubts. So it's your choice really.

I personally favour the weeding by hand mostly and spot treating very stubborn perennial weeds with glyphosate.

Once you get your chosen flowers in, you can mulch around them and this will keep the weeds down more in the future. A few will still come back regardless though. You just keep removing as and when.

Learn how to weed. Treat yourself to a decent hand fork (my personal favourite is a copper one from Implementations but any one with nice thin sharp fingers will do). Assuming you are right handed, dig well under the weed and fluff the soil up a bit with the fork in your right hand and pull the weed away with your left hand shaking it a bit as you go to get the earth off the roots. Your aim is to get the roots out, not to just rip the leaves off the roots. Some roots like the grassy ones may run sideways just under the earth; it's very satisfying gently pulling and wiggling these out. Some run deep like dandelions, you need to get right under these. Some hardly seem to have any root at all.

As soon as it's done smooth it all over, plant in something nice, water the new plants in, and then like Ashes says spread anything recommended to use as a mulch round the new plants - chipped bark is cheap and good, coco shells if you don't have a dog.

Thank you both so much for your advice i will try it all out when the weather improves.