I am new to gardening. I have taken a position whereby I must whip into shape a small plot (3ft x6ft) used by military re-inactors and cooks.

Originally, several herbs were planted and nothing else, but nobody paid attention to it, and the plot became dense with underbrush and weed growth.

What is the best way to start? I don't mind pulling all the weeds out by hand, but then what? Should I leave any herb growth, or start from scratch? It will be solely an herb garden. I live in NW Missouri. Any advice or comments
appreciated. Thanks.

You may want to try posting to the herb forum, linked below.

I don't know much about herbs, but here are some of my (uneducated) guesses anyway. Yes, I think that first, you will want to pull weeds. Then, it will depend what herbs are there. Some herbs are woody shrubs (rosemary, lavendar), and will survive for years, but may very well need pruning. Some herbs are perennials and can be left alone (with the exception of some mulch and compost), and others, like basil, are annuals that are probably way overgrown and should be pulled out.

Good luck,

CarrieB

I didn't know any of the herbs!

Not a problem: I weeded by my sense of smell. Crush a leaf; if it smelled potent, save it (or maybe thin it out.) If it was boring, or smelled like a 'familiar' weed, out it came.

(I saw it 9 years later: it had become a jungle.)

If you weed the area then till it deeply chances are you'll disturb weed seeds and will have more weeds to contend with.

I laid the black weed fabric down, solarized, removed fabric, tilled to about maybe 3 or 4 inches, framed the bed, bought good soil (from a soil yard), planted and topped it w/ compost and mulch. My bed is doing fine and virtually weed free (except for what the birds "drop" by).

Good luck!