Digging over the garden in this weather?

[WanderingWisteria]

We’re having quite a lot of work going on in our garden this year and, as it’s been postponed a couple of times, I have a couple of areas in borders which are unplanted. These biggest of these areas is probably about 3ft x 3ft and south facing. The weeds are loving this lack of competition so really going for it. I’m doing a fair amount of hand weeding but also digging the area over every couple of weeks. Should I be doing that at this time of year and in this weather? Normally, my borders are full of perennials now so it’s not something I’ve had to consider before. We haven’t had rain for a month so the first couple of inches is really dry & dusty but the soil I am digging up is in better condition. I worry that I’m just going to turn it all to dust.
—And yes, if I’d known they weren’t going to be starting until early June, I would have done something with it. As it is, I have lots of things I am itching to plant or purchase—

I wouldn't dig it as you are just drying it out further. Give it a good water and then a thick layer of mulch. It will keep the annual weeds at bay and keep the soil moist.

Best thing you could do is to put down a green manure, something that the frost will kill and breakdown would be best, like buckwheat perhaps.

Then you'd be building your soil structure and organic matter rather than destroying it with too much digging.

Plus it would keep the weeds away. If you want something nice to look at and still fixing your soil, crimson clover is hard to beat..
Most garden centers should have a section or there's plenty of online choices.

I would be tempted to water it and then put a sheet or membrane over it with a few bricks to weight it down. Then no weeding till the work starts.

Just use a hoe to disturb any small seedlings that appear and leave them on the surface to shrivel. No need to dig it again.

I wouldn't dig just pull the weeds, no reason to water until you plant something, lots of cheap annuals around at the minute if the work is delayed and you want a bit of colour, maybe in pots?