How to Get Rid of Weeds to Plant Vegetables

Plan your garden patch recovery so it is complete in time for planting. If you are planting tomatoes, then you must be ready when the daytime temperatures reach an average of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the soil temperatures are in the upper 50s Fahrenheit in your area. In most cases, the work to reclaim a large garden for vegetables will start in late autumn and conclude in early to midspring, so note your planned work dates on a calender or planner.

Mow the garden patch to chop down the existing weeds.

Lay out overlapping black plastic sheeting over the garden patch, and anchor the sheeting with stones, bricks, concrete blocks, logs or whatever is handy. Leave the plastic sheeting in place for at least three months to sterilize the ground and kill the weeds. Hardy weeds may require even longer, so lay the sheeting early and leave it in place for as long as possible.

Remove the sheeting and fertilize the ground, since the weeds have probably exhausted it of nutrients. Compost or manure is a good choice for organic fertilizer. If you use a chemical fertilizer, choose one based around the vegetables you intend to plant. Tomatoes require high phosphorus, medium potassium and low nitrogen fertilizer. Whatever you use, rake it into the soil with an iron rake.

Patrol the recovered garden after planting for the return of weeds. Some weeds are so hardy they might have survived sterilization. Pull up the roots of these survivors with the aid of a hoe, and if necessary, a mattock or shovel.