Soil

Mebee I am going to suggest doing a no till method, try this for next year get either news papers or card board lay it over the entire area you plan on gardening in after you remove the sod/grass from the area, then cover the news paper/cardboard with manure about 6 to 8 inches deep, the cover that with sifted soil about 3 inches then cover with wood chips let sit til you are ready to plant. Then at planting time rake back just enough chips in each row and plant your seeds, water till you see them come up then stop watering.At that point you can also rake the wood chips closer to the plants. start small at first then add space as needed. the wood chips should never be tilled in just added to yearly with maybe a layer of manure/compost each year also. To help control bugs in ground and out use natural things such as predator bugs,lace wings,prying mantis,nematodes,lady bugs and copper repels slugs/snails when it is used on raised beds around the outside or around plants. my theory is to work with nature and not against it. tilling,digging,poisoning all kill the living earth we need to keep us alive. This is how I do my garden and haven't tilled in 3 years and each year I get a better larger healthier harvest in a fairly small area. I consider my self to be more of a Buddhist thinking person that all things deserve a good life free from stress, with good food, clean air,shelter and dirt/grass under their feet to roll, dig,eat or play in.