>>1824170Hello /hgm/ I am starting a vegetable patch. I am a complete beginner and I would like to ask some basic questions. First my area is full of weeds, it's a jungle of doc, nettle and thistle. I want avoid chemicals and things, so, I should cover the weeds until they all die off, then till the ground, and not try pull them out? Does flamethrowering them help? My second question is about soil. How do I find out what soil I have? I should put some in a jar with water, watch it separate into layers to tell how much clay and sand there is and also test it's ph? and last, are raised beds REALLY needed? if not, I won't. Thank you for your reply.