There is nothing you can do to prevent weeds from coming back. They will
keep returning year after year. Even if you somehow killed all the seeds
now in the ground, more seeds would blow in or be brought by animals. What
gardeners do is keep weeds under control, stop them from becoming large and
numerous and taking over the plot.

5 different ways to control your weeds are 1. Pull them all up, repeatedly.
2. Dig the area frequently. 3. Spray with something like glyphosate (Round
Up). 4. Cover the area with something that blocks light, like thick
newpapers or opaque plastic or a thick layer of grass clippings. 5. Plant
something even more dominating than your weeds.

After a few years of gardening the number of weed seeds ready to sprout will
diminish, and you will have fewer each year.

"Alan" wrote in message
...
I have a small (15 ft by 15 ft approx) upper terrace in my back garden
which is currently completely covered with weeds.

My plan is to make the area useable by next spring. I'm not sure
exactly yet what I'm going to do with it - I want to keep it
reasonably maintenance free, although I definitely want an area to
grow vegetables.

The area was cleared by the previous owners before I moved to my new
home, but the weeds have returned with a vengance. What can I do to
ensure that the weeds don't come back, and when is the best time to
take any action?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.