How to weed this small but overgrown lawn?

I am doing some gardening for a friend.

Her small lawn is just a jungle of overgrown grass and some weeds. The intention is to clear these weeds so we can either sow grass seed and start the lawn from scratch, or just mow it down to an acceptable level.

My original plan was to clear all the weeds and dig the ground over. But people said that takes too long and is labour-intensive.

My next idea was to cut the growth with shears and then either mow through the remaining weeds, or apply an organic weedicide. But everyone seems dubious about this, as if using shears is too unusual a concept.

I then decided to use a strimmer to cut the growth down, hoping this would leave just a small level of growth which again could be dealt with by weedkiller or hand removed. But it seems strimmers are very bad for the environment, and as I've never used one before I am nervous about what looks like a highly dangerous operation.

Could someone please advise as to the simplest way of clearing this weedy and overgrown area. I'm not looking for anything complicated or profound; it is just that every thing I come up with is met by frowns or incredulity - yet those same people never make alternative suggestions: they simply say "Get a gardener in." But that is what I am trying to do!

 

I'm far from an expert, but I would mow it fairly closely, then use a "Feed & Weed"-type product on it. You have to follow the instructions - it may say leave for a couple of days after mowing, or don't apply it if rain is imminent, or it may say water it in.
In one go you treat the weeds and encourage new growth of grass. You may have to re-apply it for persistent weeds but you should see a difference quite quickly

 

Thanks.

This person does not have a mower and it will not be possible to transport one there for the day we start.

Is it possible to chop the growth down by hand with shears, and then apply weedkiller, or dig them up? In the first instance all that is needed is to remove the appearance of tangled overgrowth.

 

Yep. Cut it down by whatever you choose then follow lindys advice.

 

We have a newly laid lawn but with loads fo weeds coming up and as it is difficult for me to bend tor emove the weeds I contacted Green Thumb. their charge is £14 persession to kill all the weeds and maintian the lawn. They come once every two or three months and save a lot of hassle. Seems to be the answer.

 

make sure its the EVERGREEN FEED AND WEED LIQUID and not the granules. I love it, used it for years and makes such a difference. Really does do what it says but as i say do not use the granules!!

 

Would the complete 4 in 1 do the same, although not overgrown I do have a similar issue, small, patchy lawn with a fair few weeds in. (Dandelions, moss and clover as far as I can tell, with a couple of bare patches one from my lawnmower being there for 9 months til I got my shed built last week)