Weeds help please!

[seeker]

I am dealing with a massively neglected garden with knee high weeds. Should I cut them down then dig them up, or dig them up as they are or doesn't it matter?

Personally, I would cut them shorter and then dig them up - just to make it easier to move around and manouvre a fork. Don't cut down to the ground, as you may need some stalkage to grab hold of to pull a root etc out.
It is the digging up of the roots that is important.
Much sympathy btw, our garden is full of mature brambles and nettles (and some bindwind...) after over 13 years of neglect.

Sympathy from another weedy neglected gardener (er, or something!)
I dug, hoed, pulled, yanked, in desperation even Round-Up'd one bit.
Best was choosing a big patch and putting pond liner on it. Thick, black, cheapish. After about 4-6 weeks I could rake out the debris and mulch in compost.
Obv no good for huge lawn area but v satisfying to have at least one clear patch for veggies and another for flowers.
Also went at brambles with a flame-thrower. Nettles alas, hands and knees and lots of digging out.

Try & get them out before they set seed: bitterly learnt lesson, that one.

Mine isn't very big - but the neglect is All My Own Fault - I can't even blame the previous owner! I've never had a garden before and I am shocked at the speed with which it's reverted to the primeval!

finknottle - I presume you have newts in yours?

Indeed

After 2 yrs it's a bit of a stretch for me to be still blaming the previous owners. It is better once under control to keep it like that but once you get sloppy, it's awful. I hate having to reclaim it from the wilderness.
On the bright side, some weeds I look at as "green manure", they stop the soil drying out, there's some insect and worm activity, some flower prettily...

I need a McAllister.