No worries. You can pull/rake the dead stuff in the spring, mix in some compost and you're good to go.

dont worry about it ... i never clean my garden until spring.. if then.. lol ...

there are a whole host of forums... beyond this one ... if you have the time... just peruse them during winter ...

also use google with a term like: garden web newbie newb

many of the forums have posts titled directly to newbs ...

there is a veg forum ... as well as perennials.. annuals.. etc ...

tell us where you are.. z5 IN ... its probably most of it ... at least half ... north IN can be quite a bit different than S IN ....

in my z5 adrian MI... just above toledo ... my last frost date is the 3rd or 4th week of may ... and if i were planning a veg garden .. that is when i would target having the garden cleaned out ... and being that usually snow is gone by the 3 or 4th week of march ... that leaves a mere TWO MONTHS ... for you to clean out and perfect a garden bed ... so .. as you can see.. there is no reason to give up for next year ....

a call to a good nursery.. or your COUNTY extension office ... will get your your last predicted frost date .... so that you can start planning all this out ....

ken

It may take a few years to get rid of all of the weeds but you can plant during that time. Clear the bed in the spring, work in compost, plant and mulch the plants to keep weeds down.

You have a compost bin ... as time allows now and into spring, start at the edges and trim and clean out the overgrown mess, tossing it all into the compost bin.

Cut it off as close to ground level as the snow allows.

Is it too late to plan for the coming spring?

Not at all ... but instead of trying to get both beds into production, plan some stuff that's easy to grow in your area.

Radishes, lettuce, spinach, chard and chinese greens are pretty easy to grow.

Instead of trying to start your own tomatoes, buy the small plants when they show up in nurseries and get used to taking care of them.

What to do in the spring? Pull/Cut/Rake it all?

If you have clipped and cleared before the thaw, cut off everything at ground level and toss it onto the compost heap.

then rake the beds and see what the soil looks like.

Plant stuff and see what happens.

What about weeds?
You will be pulling a lot of them :)

Mulch is your friend ... heavily mulch the paths with cardboard covered with a layer of wood chips or straw (not hay, STRAW!)

If you aren't using all the raised beds, mulch them too to keep weeds down, or plant something that will cover the bed, like Alyssum, as a ground cover.

Not sure if as a new gardener you know that rhubarb, asparagus and strawberries are perennials and should not be pulled up next spring. Cut back the old dead growth, add some compost and be prepared to harvest in the late spring. I suggest you read up about these specific plants by searching for info online for each.

Dill and basil are annuals. Dill most likely self seeded so you will have more plants than you need germinating in the spring.
Check online to see what seedlings look like and keep the amount you think you need and pull up the rest. Error on the side of more than you want. It is easy to pull up and you can pull more out later if you find there is too much. If you want basil it will need to be replanted from either seed or starter plants.

Don't know what other herbs you have but many of them are perennials so look for info about those herbs you know you have in the garden already. Common perennial herbs are thyme, oregano, mint, tarragon, maybe lemon verbena in your area.

Others have given good advice. Check your state's extension service online sites for starting a vegetable garden. Many local nurseries may have info sheets or online info that is related to your area.

Winter is also a good time to read about vegetable gardens on the vegetable gardening forum and tomato forum, and pepper forum. Use the search boxes to find info about "starting a new vegetable garden" and other subjects of interest.

If the weeds went to seed you will find weeds popping up for years. Good advice to mulch to help keep them from germinating and/or growing. Next year if you can't keep up with the weeds, at least cut off the flowers/seed heads so they don't self seed. And don't add them to the compost pile unless you are sure it heats up enough to kill the seeds.

Beans are great easy vegetables. Bush beans will give you a couple of weeks of beans per planting. Some will plant seeds a couple of times a few weeks apart to have a continuing supply of beans. I prefer to grow pole beans which start a bit later but continue to produce until frost. Easier for me to pick also. Sometimes bean seeds rot in the soil if it is a very wet spring and will need to be replanted. I also cover the seeded area with a cage made of folded over chicken wire to keep squirrels and other critters from digging up the young bean seedlings. The cage can be removed later or just let the beans grow up through it.

Lettuce, peas and spinach and other cold season vegetables can be seeded/planted as soon as the soil is workable so get out and clear at least enough space for them as soon as you can this spring. Tomato and beans are warm season crops and aren't seeded/planted until the soil is warm, late spring, so you can clear that part of the garden a bit later.

I expect that your dream of "sitting on my porch trimming gr. beans" will be reality this summer.

Yeah! I'm so relieved that there is still time to get it together. Sounds like I've got a lot of reading/researching to do this winter. Thanks for all the suggestions and pointers.