Finally finished digging!

Reached a real milestone today - I took on my plot last summer when it was all grass, weeds and stones.  It's been a long job to dig it all by hand but finally it's done!  No wonder my back hurts 

Congratulations, I've covered half of my plot with weed membrane and I'm digging the other half by hand, it sure is back braking work. I dig a bit and then plant as I go

Keep going - it's amazing how quickly it does get done when you do a bit each week.  Last year I really wasn't sure I'd ever get finished!
At least this time of year there is quite a lot that you can plant as you go, so you can see real progress!
 

I am in a similar position and am just about keeping to my plan. About 2 thirds done since January and the last bit which is the worst will need to wait till next year. I will either glyphospate it and then leave it, or cover and dig next year. At the start I could just dig but the weeds are fighting back and I need to use more and more time to keep the ground I have dug. My onion bed is chucking up new weeds every week. It is so nice to be able to look back and see the progress though.

I had both. 

Half the plot absolutely covered in stones - dig the fork in and it sounds like you're shovelling gravel. Stone "pavements" a fork's depth down in places.  Other half very few stones.  It's either from the road building, railway building or just drainage that was put in when it was farmland. Not sure which but either way, it's a pain!

Perennials: Couch grass, mallow, thistles mainly.   Luckily though, no mares tail.

It's a great feeling to finally be done.  I have now dug over my whole plot since taking it on Jan '09, but one of my raised beds which I haven't planted in yet this year is already full of weeds so I think I need to get some stuff to cover them up when I'm not using them otherwise I will end up getting very fed up with weeding, or resorting to weedkiller again, which I don't really want to do.

Well done - well worth all the hard work in the end.

Well done Penny -- I know what you mean about the stones.

We have loads too --  we are using stones as hardcore for a shed base 

Well done Penny -- I know what you mean about the stones.

We have loads too --  we are using stones as hardcore for a shed base 

I've got piles of them I'm saving to make paths - something to keep me occupied this winter