Put down a layer of newspapers several pages thick, then cover it with fallen leaves or some sort of mulch. That will slow the weeds down until you are ready to deal with it.

I'm late....

Until you have a plan and the resources to do something with the old garden area, you just need to keep the weeds in enough check, and keep them from setting seed and infesting the lawn. It's a holding action to buy you time. You can buy time for a few years.

If the lawn is good enough, then the best holding action for the weeds in the garden plot is an inexpensive weed-wacker. Not glamorous. But if you can keep the weeds from spreading seed where not wanted, you can figure out what you want to do with the area later.

I don't have that much paper! I've been mowing it, hitting it with roundup periodically, and pulling here and there. I guess I'll keep that up till I can do something with it.

Yesterday my granddaughter and I starting trying to clear a little at a time by pulling. I guess I'll plant what I can as time goes by and keep the other in check as much as possible. The lawn is in really good shape in most areas, but kinda sparse under the trees. Stupid bermuda grass trying to take over from my neighbor's yards! Arrrgghh! I HATE bermuda grass! LOL

I don't have that much paper!

Sure you do. Ask the neighbors.

Well, I spent several hours pulling what wasn't killed/affected by Roundup. I've gotten almost half done. I bought some seed to plant there, if nothing else to shade out most of the weeds.

My granddaughter and son talked me into getting pumpkin, watermelon, sunflowers, and corn. Kinda late for corn, but heck; even if I get no corn, I have compost material and don't have to worry quite as much all season!

I am talking to neighbors/family and they are saving newspaper and using paper bags at grocery store vs plastic for me. I'll mulch with that and straw.