Q: This summer a neighbor and I planted tomatoes and peppers in a very sunny spot. The plants did well, but due to our inattention the plot became overwhelmed with weeds. Is there any way to eliminate weed seeds before next spring?

A: Unlike a financial institution from which you can withdraw your deposits at any time, a “seed bank” is not so flexible. Most weed seeds are well-equipped to survive winter cold. There are no fumigants to usher them out of existence. You could consider “solarizing” the plot by stretching clear plastic over it, but that only works during summer, not winter or spring. The best you can do is to fight them on all fronts as the weeds emerge next spring. For spot spraying, I use herbicidal soap (Bayer Natria Grass & Weed Killer) or plant oils like citrus oil (Nature’s Avenger) or clove oil (BurnOut).