Mechanical solutions
- Overgrown areas are best cut down to the ground first, using a billhook, scythe, rotary mower (hire a tough one) or brushcutter.
- Then rake the debris off and dig over the soil with a spade or plough. A cultivator stirs the soil up rather than burying the original surface, but is also useful. Any of these methods gives you bare soil which is easier to hoe than a weedy patch.