jane wrote:
You can have great fun too. Do you like woodwork? Then creating
raised
beds can be a good idea, as then you don't have to dig them over
much,
just heavily mulch with manure if necessary, and keep covered with
pieces of carpet when there are no crops. If you do, then I'd advise


I am sure there is some kind of 'time*money=working plot' equation.
There are lots of methods you can use to save on time spend down the
lotty. But they all cost money! From rotivators through fabric mulches,
raised beds with covered paths, no-dig methods, drip irrigation systems
to the non organic methods using weed-killers. Or you can spend no
money and just dig up every weed. But that takes a lot of time.

Although i grow my veges organically (i initially adopted the dig
method with a bit of fabric mulch thrown in but have recently bought a
rotavator which i love). I think if i was going to start over i might
give over a few months to a few applications of weedkiller over the
whole plot. This does cost money and it also is NOT AT ALL organic. But
it does leave a blank slate from which you can begin work without being
overcome with weeds.

By the by - courgettes and beans all need regular picking. If you
missed one weekends harvest you would find marrows and stringy beans
the next.
sarah