tick,
welcome ta the forum,,
I started out yeeears ago with planting crops in ******* Style containers (55gal drums cut in 1/2)
was able ta feed my Family tamaters all season with a bunch leftover fer the neighbors....
drill 1/2" holes all over the bottoms,,
put several layers of newsprint on bottom (4-5),,
put 2 - 5gal buckets of sand on top of newsprint,,
mix 1 bag of peat humus with 2 bags of topsoil & put on top of sand,,
PLANT....
oh yeah & with yer bug problem,,
I use Food Grade Diamatecious Earth (ya can get at any BigBox store)...