Beginner Gardening: new to growing flowers. Need Help with soil contents, 2 by yardener

yardener wrote:
It would be easier to cut up and remove the sod. I use a simple shovel, but be ready, it can be hard work. The main reason I would go through the effort is because it will be easier than to smother the grass/weeds using newspaper and mulch and trying to dig throughthe sod to plant.
I'll probably be the exception on this website in that I have no objections to using glyphosate (Round-Up) to kill unwanted weeds. (contrary to what many say, I DO believe its as safe as salt water). If you over spray the area you still have the dead sod to contend with.
So, what I would do is: 1. dig it up; 2. replace with a mixture of bagged top soil and composted manure.
I'd stay away from peat. It doesn't add much nutient to be worth the cost.