How can I kill off weeds and grass in a flower bed without harming the perenials that are already in there?

Question

I just bought my first house and the woman who lived here previously had a beautiful yard (so the neighbors tell me) but she got cancer and let it all go.
The beds are full of grass, weeds, and flowers. The bulbs are showing above the dirt some. I tried to pull a bunch of the grass out but it seems like I'll never get it all cleaned out?
If I put mulch down, will that kill the grass without killing the bulbs? The bulbs are already sprouting which seems odd as I am in Wisconsin and there is still snow on the ground!

Answer 1

No matter how tedious it is, you will have to hand pull out the weeds and grass. Just take a little time each day to do it and you will see progress. When you are finished, remember you will still have to watch daily and pull but it will be less. Putting down mulch or weed block cloth will not kill all of it. You have to pull it up first. Let your bulbs bloom then by next year they will really stand out in your beautiful new garden! Gardening takes a lot of work, but it is so worth it. Good luck on your new hobby!LOL

Answer 2

Since it is still a little early you could hit the entire garden with round-up to kill off everything, wait till the weeds and grass have wilted and died, then water the soil heavily for two weeks ( to get rid of the round-up) then re-plant and keep a close eye on things.