My fall garden is the continuation of my spring/summer garden for the most part. When the snap peas ended I put in a few sunflowers and am about to get my first open flower. I like that they attract chickadees and goldfinches when in seed.
I put Neves Azorean Red in about 2 months late, and Velvet Red about a month & 1/2 late. I'm getting red Velvet Reds and green NAR now. My hope is just to get enough NAR to taste. If we think it's any good, I can re-grow it.
Many 'maters are spent now, & I've pulled the stakes. Others like Butter Apple, Post Office Spoonful & Sungold are still going strong. My Spanish determinates have given me their harvests all at once; they're hanging in my basement. Mustard greens went to seed long ago. Lettuce is seeding now. One rhubarb went dormant early and one is still going strong.
As to weeds, I haven't weeded in a long time. I did go through with a Weed Whacker a while back to chop down some big stuff. If the good plants are taller than the weeds, I consider it acceptable.
As for leaving the weeds in place, Salt, you can say they're your "cover crop" left there to "hold the soil."