What is this, how do I get rid of it, and then what?

This is behind the house after I weed-eated it down from 12" to ground. It's on the east side, with sun from 10a to 2p, and the bed is 32' longx12' wide, divided by the concrete stepping stone walkway. And completely covered with this terrible, fragile, invasive, choking weed. There are a dozen things I can move out, and then it will only be weed..... this stuff keeps coming back, year after year it chokes out whatever I put there...

I'm thinking about ripping the bed out between the walkway and the fence and just start mowing it. Here, grass comes up if you just keep mowing long enough, I've never actually seeded a lawn, and I have acres of the stuff. That leaves the bed between the walkway and the house. I can add a layer of railroad ties and a little more soil... but I'm not convinced that will do anything but give this evil weed a better foothold...

1) What is this weed?
2) Thoughts about killing it off?
3) Suggestions for what to do after the area is cleared?

One of the chickweeds (Stellaria sp.) They are shallow-rooted and easy to pull, and they are edible. You might resort to some product like Roundup since you have such an extensive "collection", though a product used to control weeds in lawns would work too. Once you have the area free of weeds' scatter corn gluten or Preen to inhibit germination of seeds. Where you install new plants you could mulch with thick (5+ layers) of newspaper. It will prevent weeds, allow infiltration of rain, decay within 18 months, and it is inexpensive. Wet the newsprint after installation and cover with a thin layer of some other mulch to keep it in place and enhance appearance.

The flower seems to be a type of chickweed. I think I have something like it here, but it is not something I deal with as it is mostly in the lawn and as long as it's green I don't care too much. I would have to check the leaves on mine. Remove the good plants and cover tightly with clear plastic to cook it. Seeds already on the soil may come up. Once you get rid of the plants, use a pre-emergence product and only put transplants in the beds. Best i can do from North country.

Herman

I have trouble pulling up chickweed. The thin roots break off and then, you have re-growth.

I agree it is hard to hand pull. I always end up with stems pulling off and roots in a tight fine clump left in the dirt. Almost have to dig a whole layer of soil off.

But it is annual, so greenthumb has good advice. Do that to prevent new seed sprouting next winter.

sally: chickweed stays green and grows all winter. It puts out blooms very early.
One year, when we had a terrible infestation of chickweed, we burned it. Worked pretty well.