Best way to kill weeds over a large area

[ChocolateCakeOverspill]

For a number of reasons our garden is currently completely overgrown with weeds. Our lawn is overgrown and almost entirely covered in them. The paved area is also covered. Weed killer doesn’t seem to be working on the paved area anymore so I’m just thinking that the best way forward is to try and kill everything and bring it down to ground level so we can start again from scratch.

What’s the best way to do this? I was thinking of buying some of that weed suppressant and covering the whole thing.

That will give us a chance to cut back next doors over hanging Leylandi while there are no birds nesting in them which will hopefully give any new grass a better chance of survival next year.

I know nothing about gardening so please tell me if I’m deluded.

Do you know what the weeds are? Brambles, docks and nettles can be sprayed with SBK brush killer; but generally I wouldn't bother spraying. I'd either cover the ground, wait a year then dig it over; or just dig it over now. I use free cardboard boxes from the corner shop, flattened and held down with bean netting. Boiling water or steam also work and are good for getting between the cracks in paving, or you could use a gas weed burner. Then dig out the roots with a sharp knife.

Our neighbour does really well with the flame thrower like this

https://amzn.to/488AJuL

I’m wary of membrane, it’s annoying when it’s half rotting.

You do have to be careful using them, wet the area after you burn it to make sure the fire is out. They aren't suitable for lawns as the roots can catch fire.

leylandii don’t grow back once you’ve cut back into the older wood, so if you trim back next doors tree you could just be looking at brown bare branches for ever more. Just a heads up if you didn’t already know.

gardens respond to regular maintenance. A blitz is all very well but it’s temporary. I wouldn’t bother. Weed membrane won’t kill everything off and will just delay the inevitable.

Get someone in to cut your lawn down then mow it regularly yourselves. Tall weeds won’t survive regular chopping, low ones will be kept under control with weed and feed in the spring. (If you have brambles then they will need digging out).

weeds coming up between paving should respond to weedkiller, but again that’s going to need doing regularly. What are the weeds on/over the paved area?

Thanks everyone, I don’t know much about plants but I think they’re dandelions etc. no brambles or anything bigger. We’ve had some illness and emergency building work happening which has restricted access for quite a few weeks but we do struggle anyway because the leylandi shades most of the lawn and the grass can’t grow. The only thing that tends to survive is the weeds. Usually weed killer does the job on the paving but even before the building work it didn’t seem to work this year.

I am going to get someone in to come and keep on top of it next year though. I enjoy pottering in the garden but don’t have the knowledge to do it properly. Although I have described it as a large space, I used that phrase to suggest it’s not just a bed,, in garden terms it’s pretty small so in theory shouldn’t take much keeping up to.

While I have people though, we planted raspberries and various other fruit bushes and climbers and they go a bit mad each year. I can’t them back but bits are popping up everywhere now. Any suggestions?

Raspberries will spread two ways; through the roots, and by seeds. Birds eat berries, and the seeds are in their droppings so you'll get plants from whatever the birds are eating.If they pop up in a bed dig them up - you have to dig deep to get all the root out. If its in a lawn you can use SBK brush killer. Its a plant hormone, and doesn't persist in the soil.