[Fairy Plotmother]

As has already been said, there are many answers to each question. None of them right and none of them wrong. My suggestion is that like everyone else you do it the way it suits you . By the way, this year is the first we have gone down “the cover with plastic route” ( except half a bed where the sprouts are still growing)

[New shoot]

I have got some ground dug over and clear, plus some covered and then some done no-dig style with deep mulches.  I also have some large scale ‘bean’ trenches on the go for squash, as well as for the beans. 

A bit of all sorts going on here, mainly because despite having a pretty bad case of compulsive composting and multiple bins, I can’t make enough to cover the whole plot 

The site layout means getting bought in stuff to your plot is pretty tough, even if you can afford the amounts needed.  Barrowing uphill on narrow paths for a lot of us.  It is no fun at all, while I quite enjoy digging