The first step? Good ol’ fashioned cultivation—"pullin’ weeds." A friend once told me that humans spend more time pulling weeds than any other activity except sleeping. Probably not true – but, there’s no question that the cultivation method is sound and has been useful since people first realized that you could plant a seed to make food. Removing all of the excess plant material before planting new crops is essential for the success of your fall bulbs, flowers, and vegetables. Annual weeds can be removed with a hoe or by hand. Perennial weeds must be completely dug out to prevent future growth.
Once all of the plant material has been removed from the bed, plant your fall bulbs and seeds, and then lay down a generous mulch of bark or rich compost. The mulch both smothers potential weeds, blocking out the light, and helps your current plants by holding in moisture and maintaining a constant temperature.
With those weeds out of the way, you’ll be on your way to a successful fall garden.