Well, I just dug down a foot & loosened the soil & put stepping stones across it so I didn't pack the soil down & put some manure in it in the fall & planted in the spring & have ever since. Best to rotate things around & have good air circulation or you will get mildew etc. but it's pretty easy, just read how deep seeds should go in ground ,water or if rains enough things should grow, Mulch is a good idea if in hot area. Some of garden forums tell more about it. If your soil is clay you might want to check with local nursery about adding some sand & amendments to it so it isn't quite so mushy when wet & won't crack & split when drying out.DD has it & stuff really grows like crazy. I prefer loose black soil but South has yellow or red soil & it works well too. As long as you dig down, even if buying plants already started you can't expect them to grow if you dig a 4 in. hole & soil underneath is hard as rock. They need loose soil for roots to spread out & be able to get nutrients from the soil. Good Luck!