I am preparing to install a 1,000sq.ft. lawn, but the area is full of weeds right now. My thought is to rototill the area this fall and plant a cover crop. Then, in the spring, after the cover crop is done I was thinking of planting something like a bush bean to try and choke out the weeds. I have done a fair amount of research online and can't find any stories of people being successful with or even trying edibles such as beans for this type of thing. I would prefer to do something like a bean, but would also be willing to do buckwheat or something I can harvest. The idea being to harvest the weed-choking crop early next fall and then install the grass as I have been told the fall is the best time to lay sod in Northern CA.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, experience to share? Thanks in advance.

Secondly, why not do grass this fall? Is something preventing the renovation now? A lawn is a weed choking crop, by the way.

Where are you in NoCal...and if you say you are in Sacramento or parts south, I'm going to suggest you are in northern central California and not subject to the real NoCal conditions.

You can lay sod any day of the year unless there is snow on the ground.