yunshi guan

25 - 30 years ago when I established my gardens, I put down tarps in the fall to eliminate the sod.  In Spring, I used a Spading fork to turn over the soil.  Then I put down patio stones for 4 x 16 foot beds.  For several years I turned those beds each Spring with the Spading fork.  After that I used a broadfork.  All was done from the patio stone paths - non-compacted garden beds.   I expanded for many years.  Now that I am older and  lacking that ambition, I am gradually converting the beds to perennial crops and fruiting trees and bushes.  My primary tool is a Japanese grass sickle.  It is very precise.  I broadcast seeds (beans, daikons, fenugreek, lettuce, basil....) .in the spaces and  cover with the mulch I just made.  I water immediately.  Germination is usually within 7 days.  That keeps the weeds down most of the season.  I also employ chickens and ducks  and honeybees.  Ground ivy is a welcome weed.  It is good cover and favored by honeybees.  I guess the next step in this venture will be to find some crazy young people to take over.