no till planting without a cover crop?

I am still trying to get the hang of how no-till gardening works. I always seem to be thinking about it at the wrong time of year. We are trying to plant peas, spinach and radish in some raised bed which were completely overgrown with weeds last year, and in a large plot which we tarped and rototilled to kill the grass last year, before planting with garlic, raspberries and tomatoes - and then failing to keep the weeds out, so it got pretty overgrown too. Now the space has lots of long dead strawlike grass, and the weeds, like creeping charlie, growing apace underneath them. Is there a way to do no-till in this space right now, or do we need to just till it and weed it right now, and then plan ahead enough to plant a cover crop next fall?

I did plant a lot of peas by just pushing the straw and creeping charlie aside, but it doesn't seem like that will work well for spinach, particularly because we are trying to do high-intensity as well, meaning planting a lot more seeds than the typical "rows 1/2/3 feet apart" instructions say.

And, where would wood chip mulch (which I don't have right now, but intend to get) come into this? Put it before or after planting spinach - or at a different time of year entirely?

zone 6, western PA

I'm not an expert, but if it was me I think I would try to figure out how the weeds are growing.  I would cut the stem at ground level on what I could get away with, and the ones that sent up new weeds from under ground, I would pull.  The straw like weeds you describe on top are creating a much. I have killed weeds many times by piling pulled weeds on top.
As far as mulch honestly I always feel a little at odds there too.  At least where I live I have to have 8 to 12 inches of wood chips to suppress weeds. That's also going to suppress any seeds you plant.  I would probably wait until your seeds have all sprouted to add the mulch.  I prefer to over plant using living mulch.  I was amazed how much I packed into my garden bed, and everything produced very well.  You couldn't see the soil at all, weed just didn't have a chance.
You could also lay cardboard in the spaces you aren't going to plant to keep weeds from coming up.
The photos are last year's over planted garden beds.
It may take some trial and error to figure out what works for you, but it will eventually.  As much as it may seem like the thing to do, I would try to avoid using the rototiller. It may kill some weeds, but some it will chop the roots up, and you have even more weeds, because a new weed will grow from each piece of root.  Also part of permaculture is working with nature. In a natural setting there are weeds. My ideal garden doesn't have a single weed in it, but that's just not reality. Reality is there will always be weeds,. If your veggies are growing well, that's really what's important. As long as they aren't choking out your veggies, it's ok. If they bother you, cut them at ground level, and it looks beautiful.
Good luck finding what works for you. Happy gardening 🌻

Yes, we are definitely learning as we go along. The beds that were tilled last year looked good for a week or two - and then grew such prolific weeds that our tomatoes and peppers were practically drowned. . . so at least on our land the weeds are actually a danger to the food crops. Mulching after planting sounds like our best move - I just can't picture it working with spinach.

I'd suggest starting with a small area and eradicating all the weeds possible.  Then you'll have to be pretty diligent on pulling up any new weeds.  I started with two raised beds that were badly neglected and overrun with weeds in 2020.  I pulled the weeds, sowed seeds, added transplants and covered the beds with a layer of shredded leaf mulch when the seedlings were a few inches high.  I also added five more beds that year and even though they were mulched, I still had to be diligent with the weeds.  Last year I had a few dandelions and burdock in the paths (which are covered with wood chips) but it's the creeping Charlie that's the hardest to control as I'm always pulling it from the edges of the fence.

I did place at least one layer of cardboard under the beds when I built them and in the paths under the wood chips as it helps smother the grass and weeds.  I've been collecting cardboard since last summer to start a second garden area in which I plan to sheet compost this year and hopefully grow melons and pumpkins this summer and turn it into raised beds without wooden sides next spring.

Based on this statement I would say you already have a cover crop

William Said, "For example, my youngest wants to make Creeping Charlie(Alefoot) soda, turning our favorite ground cover into tasty profit.

https://permies.com/t/161498/Suburban-Homesteading#1265714

If this were my garden I would try to get that grass out by pulling it up, if that isn't possible then I would cover the grass with cardboard.

I am not sure that wood chips and spinach would work together if you are going to "do high-intensity as well, meaning planting a lot more seeds than the typical "rows 1/2/3 feet apart" instructions say."

Wood chips would be great under taller plants like tomatoes and peppers.

For spinach, I would draw a line in the soil.  Sprinkle the seeds along that line and then use a strainer to sprinkle soil over the seeds.  I use a product called starter mix to use in my strainer.

Some seeds can be started indoors to get a head start on the weather.  When I do this I transplant the sprouts in the soil by digging a hole just big enough to put in the transplants then cover with the soil I took out of the whole.

I had a real hard time understanding "No-till" until I figured out that was what I was doing all along.

I'm no expert in no-till, but the principle of not tilling is that you do not bring up more weed seeds that are already below the surface and you do not disturb the biology of the soil and all its beneficials that are already hard at work chomping on dead vegetation to make more soil.
Mother Nature has already installed a generous seed bank of weeds everywhere. The more you disturb the soil, the more weeds you will have, as you are giving them light in tilling. Yes, seeds need a little light to grow.
My first instinct in growing something is that I have to see the soil I'm putting it in, though, and a seed may need to be covered a bit. So what do we do with last year's growth which is "in your way"?! cut it short or burn it . That too helps the soil.
Rather than get hung up on the term no-till in the sense of not using a roto tiller[which you won't], consider what you are attempting to accomplish, then it becomes easier.
By cutting last year's growth to the ground [with a weed eater in your garden beds or a mulching mower in a larger plot], you are facilitating its decomposition and feeding the Earth with biomass. And then, you will have to scratch the row where you intend to plant, so no to tilling but yes to scratching as your seed needs to be covered a bit. Use a rake or a scratching tool in your garden; a disc in a larger plot. Scatter your seeds where you want them then cover with a dusting of soil and the chopped up weeds.
Remember also that it is a planting, not a burial. In nature, a seed gets planted by just falling on top of the ground, then having the dead vegetation falling over it and rotting. Mother nature plants most seeds in the fall of the year, so winter snows do some of the 'planting' for her and take care of needed stratification for those that need a cold spell to sprout. Seeds do not really *need* to be buried 2" or more with soil. We do it because if we remove dead matter and plant the conventional way, the soil will dry faster, so it needs to be piled up high on top of that poor seed and water to approximate what Mother Nature would have done.
By the way, in doing intensive planting of spinach, you are already seeing to it that there will be not one inch of bare soil, so bravo! That too is one of the goals of no-till: By planting thick you are reducing evapotranspiration in plants and soil, so there will be less of a need to water. Yes, tilling also has that bad effect that bare soil must be watered after all that fluffing up, so reducing the tilling means you have to water less. Win-win-win. When the plants all start to grow in and out of the rows [if you make rows], the soil will be completely shaded, keeping it cooler and your crops healthier, the soil naturally more moist.
Voilà!

I think a lot depends on the size of area you are working and the amount of work you want to do. My gardens are approximately 1/4 acre total and consist of a number of long beds ranging from three to five feet wide with permanent paths between. I do all work by hand or with hand tools. I have a LOT of Creeping Charlie and when I ditched my roto-tiller several years ago, at first tried to eradicate it by turning it under with a shovel or pulling it up. It didn't work.

Now with very little disturbance to the soil and addition of lots of mulched materials the Creeping Charlie is in its version of heaven. It and I have reached an agreement. Over winter and early spring, it has the run of the place, completely covering and protecting the soil from any kind of erosion. Even in the beds full of mustard or turnips the Creeping Charlie fills any empty spots.

Right now, it is about at the height of it's annual glory and starting to bloom, the honey and bumble bees love it and right now there isn't much else for them. Without tilling my soil just keeps getting better and the Creeping Charlie is more and more robust, but since the soil is nice and loose it is EASY to pull up by hand. It takes maybe 30 minutes to hand pull all of it in a three by fifty foot bed. I just make little pile of it running perpendicular to the length of the bed leaving empty rows about a foot wide where I plant my seeds.

It does often root back down some but for large plants like corn, tomatoes or beans it doesn't seem to matter. For smaller things like spinach or lettuce I completely remove it from a small bed and don't put it back for mulch until it has dried out or started to rot.

Anyway, Creeping Charlie has become a very useful garden helper for me. I also like dandelions, plantain, violets, thistles and especially purslane, if any of these are in a spot I don't like, I just drop a big wad of Creeping Charlie on top. Grass is more of an annoyance, especially robust perennial types. I dig them out and turn them upside down for mulch.

*One more note about Creeping Charlie, at least in my climate. Its primary growth season is late winter - early spring. If you let it grow large and bloom and then pull it up for mulch it is, not completely but largely done for the season. In fact, one year I accidentally eliminated it and had to transplant some back in from the yard.

So more generally, what I do is just establish permanent beds, rather than tending and walking between long rows, that I can reach the middle of from each side with permanent paths between and then use lots of mulch. Leaves, grass clippings, whatever I have handy and utilize the weeds themselves whenever possible. It isn't instant gratification but over a few seasons it gets easier, much more productive and enjoyable than listening to the roar and breathing the stink of a gasoline powered machine. Cheaper too!

Thank you all so much for these thoughts, they are very encouraging. I am intrigued by the idea of creeping charlie as beneficial instead of annoying. I will have to try thinking that way this year. (Although, in our strawberry bed, I really think the creeping charlie was getting to be too much of a good thing! It was about the same size as the strawberries, and seemed to be choking the berry plants, especially in the shadier sections of the patch.)

For larger scale garden I have been wondering if building a single row no till planter might be worth it.  Because of their weight and pull needed and the close quarters of the garden a tractor to pull isn't practical.  Then I was using someone's remote control electric winch.  If I had ground anchors to pull from then I could pull the planter back and worth with a winch and a battery.  A winch with a hundred foot cable wasn't that expensive.  So 100 foot rows would be possible.  If they went both directions then 200 feet of garden length might be covered.   Set posts every so often at both ends of each set of rows.  Add a pole or a beam heavy enough to pull against between them.  Drag the pole/beam from one set of posts to the next either by hand or using the same winch.  So 3 or more rows could be done from each pole/beam set up by simply moving the anchor points.  To save moving the winch from end to end add another cable and a snatch block.  Then all you would have to drag is the cables.  

Most of the planters are some sort of toothed colter wheels to sweep debris out of the seed in path.  A sharp disk to cut the roots and sod.  2 opener wheels to provide some place for the seed to fall and finally 2 packer wheels to close the trench behind.  To achieve the needed down pressure weight is needed.  But don't want it there all the time.  So want an easily handled weight.  What about some sort of water tank?  Easy down pressure control.  Fill with a hose and drain out as needed to adjust.  Then at the sides a couple of wheels to keep it from tipping over and to provide depth control. For small scale simply user drops seed down a drop tube.  For larger scale some sort of mechanical ground driven seed plate can system maybe?  Maybe add a brake and/or trip mechanism to raise and lower using the pull from the winch.  If the side wheels were near the balance point turning and positioning for a new row should be practical.  To move to a new row move the anchor points and pivot the planter around and go the other way.

Phoebe, it is more of a problem in the strawberries, but I still do the same thing there, pull it and mulch with it. It just takes a little longer, being careful not pull up the berries along with it.  Again, it's probably a matter of scale, my strawberry patch is only about 3 by 20 feet.

It's also a matter of soil condition. I've been improving the soil in my front garden for more than twenty years, here the Creeping Charlie lifts out easily in big gobs, root and all.  In the back garden, only about five years old, it doesn't pull as easily, and a lot of roots are left behind. It still works though and still much easier that messing with a rototiller. I mostly grow tall things like corn, pole beans and okra in the back garden.

Mark said, "Now with very little disturbance to the soil and addition of lots of mulched materials the Creeping Charlie is in its version of heaven. It and I have reached an agreement.

I too found that when I reached an agreement with my weeds, I now have very few problems with them.

Observation also helps to learn more about the lifestyle of the weeds.  Then a person can learn what the weeds are telling us.

Things like what nutrient that spot is missing.

I also feel learning what purpose Mother Nature put the weeds here on earth for and how we can use these weeds.  

Like Creeping Charlie is edible and also medicinal.  Some of the recommended uses for creeping Charlie are sinus problems, coughs, bronchitis, tinnitus, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and cystitis.  What a wonderful weed to have.