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Need CaptionVegetables need good soil. If the soil is poor, the vegetables will be, too. In rich, soft soil, roots grow deeply and soak up nutrients for healthy, productive plants. Here is how to prepare the site.
Clear the area. Remove grass, rocks, or other debris from the site. To dig up grass, use a spade to cut the sod into small squares and pry from the planting area with the end of the spade. Or, you can kill it with glyphosate (Roundup) and till it up.
Loosen the soil. Work the soil to a depth at least 8 inches (12 is better) with a power tiller or garden fork.
Improve the soil. Work 2 to 3 inches of compost or soil conditioner into the soil with a tiller or fork. This helps drainage, the ability to hold nutrients, and promotes beneficial micro–organism activity. This is also a good time to add lime or sulfur to adjust pH as indicated by a soil test. Use a steel garden rake to rake the soil smooth and level.
In just depressingly hard soil, consider building a raised bed by piling good soil on top of the ground. The deeper the better.