Question

Basically two answers - one is to just cover it. Some people use layers of newspaper, grass clippings, almost anything if it is reasonably deep. Or you can spray on RoundUp or something similar. <Apologies in advance to organic gardners, but it is an option - and takes very little labor.> Either method takes some patience, as you need to apply the treatment and just leave it alone for at least a couple weeks.

I like to decide what I want to do & then see if *we* can work that out. The ideal way to clear an area for a small garden, would be to enlist someone who has rented a sod-cutter to cut the sod. This would take only minutes for a small garden. The sod can be laid upside-down on the bottom of your new garden beds & will NOT grow more grass upside down. This preserves the vital beneficial microbial life in your soil. You need ~6" minimum loose soil over that to start growing vegetables ...