A weed-free planting bed is one of the most important ingredients for establishing a successful new Wild Lawn. In the vast majority of cases, whether you have existing lawn or simply a patch of weeds, the easiest way to establish weed-free soil ready for seeds is a method called "sheet mulching" or "lasagna mulching". Except on very large sites, this method is vastly superior to trying to other common methods, like applying herbicides or attempting to dig up grass and weeds by hand. The best thing in our experience is simple recycled cardboard, free of tape, staples, inks, dyes or glues. A single-layer can be applied right over existing grass (assuming it's mowed low), then covered by 3-6" of topsoil or mulch will eliminate most grass and weeds for good without any digging, spraying or pulling. The cardboard biodegrades within 2-3 months depending on your climate. As it degrades it adds organic material to your soil while smothing the grass and weeds below it. For sites with pernicious perennial weeds you may need to double or even triple-up the layer. Top with 2-3 inches of well-composted mulch, compost or topsoil to create an ideal sowing bed for your new seeds.