Hi Eleanor,
I was similarly new to vegetable growing when I was granted my plot 2 years ago. It was considered the unlettable plot at the allotment. Choked with weeds, couch grass and brambles. I cleared the brambles, no need to clear the weeds, but by all means cut down anything tall or woody. I then covered the plot with approx 5cm (2″) of compost. I covered the compost with mypex woven ground fabric and pegged it down (nb if you use this type of product, don’t cut the material as it will fray over tine and the strands go everywhere, use a cheap blowtorch to cut it instead). Cardboard is a decent alternative, but in my case the area was rather large (approx 2 plots, 500m2) so I opted for fabric. I followed Charles advice of leaving this for a full year (couch grass and bindweed take a year, longer than most). I then lifted the fabric, positioned and filled a wooden frame with a mix of well rotted horse manure walked over to firm it down, and then a finer compost layer on top. Ready to plant straight into. I then moved the frame to make up the next bed and so on. You can have permanent wooden sides to the beds if you like, but they’ll provide an unwelcome habitat for slugs and woodlice, plus be an extra cost. And the beds don’t actually need sides. My paths were left bare, the original compost laid down was more than enough. I admit I was sceptical how effective this would all be, but it worked almost like magic. In my first year of growing I had very few weeds, and I just pick or hoe off any I see when they are tiny.
You can plant through the cardboard or fabric in places if you want to start growing earlier, or if you have less invasive weeds than I had. I’d also recommend any of Charles’ excellent books, maybe start with ‘ How to create a new Vegetable Garden’. His videos, on this website or his You Tube channel are also very helpful.
Good luck with it all!