Without pictures, it's going to be really hard to ID. Based on your description, I wonder if its some species of Ironweed (Vernonia). Check out the link below to Google Images of this genus. If you like it, keep it, who cares whether it's considered a weed. BUT, just keep in mind that it could potentially be something that spreads. I've intentionally planted a number of things over the years, like sweet annie, peppergrass, pokeweed, that I've later regretted because I end up fight their millions of seedlings. Here is a link that might be useful: Ironweed images on Google

OK, my short answer is try using mulch!! I recently attended a lecture on home gardens and one thing that was mentioned was never use any kind of weed barrier. Landscaping cloth etc. I guess in the long run it causes more problems than solves. It kills the soil underneath it, weeds just grow on top of it, it is not a good thing! The best way I can think of is to remove weeds and add mulch to minimize their return.You need 2 to 3 inches of it. Our flower garden is old and I would really like just to remove everything and start over. It seems certain perennials overrun the garden anyway. I thin them more than weeds. Ground covers also hide and smother the weeds too, But try getting rid of them, just as the weeds, near impossible. I'm more into the edible part of my garden. I have run into another problem, the wife, she considers the flower garden hers but does little to nothing to it. Hopefully I can get her to let me take it over, and I will just remove everything, replant what we want, and mulch heavily. It is something you will need to do yearly (mulching that is, you can get by at times doing it every 2 years, but I tend to add fresh mulch every year). It does help, and builds the soil. Anybody who grows edibles uses mulch, it is required to keep the plants moist, and to keep the soil rich. I do not have problems with weeds around my fruit trees, blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries. So yes, it works quite well. I use three different kinds, because of the needs of my fruit plants. I use mostly pine bark, and since I can get it free, pine straw. This keeps my strawberries out of the dirt, you have to cover them in the winter completely too. Many use regular straw for this, pine needles looks better, and my in-laws up in northern MI have ton's and ton's of it as they own a few lots which are covered in pine and spruce trees. The supply is unlimited, and free. I also use cypress as it is not as acidic as pine. My lilacs bushes do not like acid, so I use cypress, which is still acidic, but not as much as pine. I add lime to keep the soil basic where the lilacs are. You can get colored bark too, I guess it probably would look nicer for a bit, until the sun fades it. I really do not care. I use mulch because it is needed to properly care for my edible plants. I could give a rip how it looks, although it looks good! So now I buy extra to use in the flower garden. So far few weeds have come up, and those that do stick out and are easy to spot and pull. I would still like to start over though, it's been years and would look neater etc. Good luck! This post was edited by Drew51 on Sun, Apr 14, 13 at 23:56

I think Rhizo is imagining you've got more good plants with Old McDonald weeds, here-a-weed, there-a-weed... between a lot of "keepers." If it's more like that, it would be a matter of asking yourself, do I have the time to pull all of these plants up? Some people opt to remove the "good plants" to make it easier to smother large, unbroken areas. Wherever there's a gap in the smothering, weeds are, well, not suppressed, so if it's thin strips between good plants, smothering won't help much. As perspective, in my minds' eye, I see your beds as mostly devoid of desirable plants, with much space between those that would be "keepers." Although I wouldn't begrudge someone's use of chems to establish control, it would be preferable to me to smother where possible. I would define possible as any spot where I can completely cover a patch of weeds with newspaper or cardboard in large enough areas around existing plants so I could cover it with several inches of mulch without having the mulch wash "into" the existing plants. It's not that I have anything against using chems to establish control, but that's only part of the issue. If it's been lawn or neglected "flower bed," likely the soil does not have good tilth, fertility, drainage. Even this type of very basic lasagna can be incredibly helpful in all of these regards. If your dedication and determination extend as far, it's so easy to add other amendments as part of/when smothering. I like to put bagged lawnmower clippings under the paper in case it has seeds in it. (Then when the paper/cardboard contacts it, you've got a good green/brown thing composting under there.) Between the paper/cardboard and the mulch, one can add compost, leaves, whatever seed-free, easily decomposed organic matter is available. When you stick a shovel in later, that fall is OK if you want to add some shrubs/perennials, next year for summer annuals and anything more, you should be amazed by the difference. There's also an impatient form of smothering where one uses whatever they can keep in contact with the soil. A tarp or sheet of plastic, pieces of metal, the bags of mulch you will eventually use in that area, anything that will cover up the weeds until they die. After a time, you remove the cover and see if it's dead. Once you determine everything is, cover with mulch, compost, whatever your plan is, then start gardening. IME with using both methods many times, a smother layer of paper and the longer wait is worth it in the future. The quick-smother often results in the sprouting of many seeds that were at the surface but just hadn't decided to grow yet, especially right where you dig holes to add the plants that couldn't wait until next year, pretty much thwarting your efforts. With options, you can choose the best one, which you may decide is spraying. If so, putting a cardboard box upside-down on nearby plants can be helpful to avoid the mist from getting on them. Try to do when...

>>I just wanted to verify that I should only put down the amount on the bag. It doesn't matter, really. Bag rate will be just fine. Twice bag rate will be just fine. Milorganite is pretty gentle stuff. My usual target is 20 pounds per thousand square feet. In my case, a bag goes about 1,800 square feet, somewhat less than recommended. >>Next spring before the bermuda goes down I will invest in a soil test. I wish I would have done that this time, definitely would have saved at least the $25 that the test costs plus a lot of time and worry. Rather than try to handle everything during a seeding and new lawn start, you can get the test now and take care of some of the issues early (maybe; many adjustments don't go over winter, but your winter is late and mild). Worst case, we can determine if you need starter at seeding time, and how often you're going to have to hit it during its youth to encourage the grass well. Some things, like heavier calcitic lime apps, don't go during seeding because they'll pale out or even damage the lawn. Doing that in fall is an advantage to let it perk in over winter and be there for the new lawn. Your numbers won't change whether you do it now or then, so it doesn't really matter to me, but doing it now has the potential to make your life a little easier and less hectic next spring.