How does your garden grow, and how can I kill off mine?

[auntypurple]

Hiya,
I have got a smallish garden that is over run with stinging nettels and prickly things, all over the place. Not very high but quite think. As I am on my own with 3 kids the youngest being 12 weeks I have not touched my garden since last July . I have no plants or flowers, nor want any. What I need to know is, what is the best weed killer that I can spray all over the garden to kill everything. I don't have time to do it properly, and don't have anyone who can help. Any advice greatly recived, just in case you haven't realised, I am not green fingerd at the slightest. Thanks

Glyphosate - look in homebase or similar for a weedkiller with glyphosate as the ingredient. You put it on the leaves of the weeds you want to get rid of, it is systemic so kills it off all the way down to the roots (so only works on growing plants - good for nettles this time of year as they are actively growing) The good thing is it doesn't comtaminate the soil, so as soon as they ahve all wilted ou can dig them up and the soil will we okay to plant the things you want.

Thanks kookaburra, will have a look 2moz. I just want rid of it all so the kids can go play with out getting stung or scratched. Can you put a name to any particular product that works well? I would borrow my sis petrol strimmer, but am scared of the things, and don't think my mower is gonna be much use till I get it down a bit. Thanks

digging it up it the quickest method wear thick gloves and tear them out. have fun

cover it al for several months with black plastic. That will kill it. Then dig it over. Then leave it for weeds to germinate again and then hoe them out. Then you can plant what you want!

Thanks for the advice, I covered the lot with a glyphosate spray yesterday, and they are wilting yay. Another qustion now tho, I have rock hard soil/ground in my garden, that is raisied in diff places. I am going to dig out the raised bits so I have a nice flat garden. Any tips of the best way to do this to soften up the ground first? Or do I just go at it with a shovel and hope for the best.
Thanks you all have been really helpful so far

wet it?

Yes I would go with cecis advice and wet it (or depending where you are wait for the rain due this week
Turning it with a fork ( not spade - too much hard work!) will help - (nb - if yo have any boy scout brigades near you contact 'em and offer a fiver for them to turn it for you)

Well it's raining today, hope it stops soon, I want to get on with it now. May do it in the rain if it carries on 2moz tho