Check with your state's Extension Service. Each county should have it's own Cooperative Extension Office which provides free publications and information for the asking. They can also tell you the average last frost date for your area and ideal planting times for specific crops and varieties in your area.

Example: Vegetable Planting and Planning Calendar for Missouri (download the pdf) complete with spring and fall planting dates, how much to plant per person, etc. Just call up the office in your county. Look under the "Government" section (usually blue pages) of your phone book under "Extension". They will have valuable vegetable/gardening tables available specifically for your area determined by data universities, and research scientists have collected from growing those crops in your state.

If you're concerned about soil, you can try a small area of square foot gardening in a container.

Examples Page 1
Examples Page 2
Examples Page 3
Examples Page 4
Examples Page 5

I don't know what your altitude is there, but it sounds like you have many of the same conditions we have. Except that you don't have the humidity to contend with. A blessing and a curse. LOL

I agree with Violet, I would check out the Extension office in your county. You might give a thought to having a soil test done. Do it through the Extension, and it is good and cheap.

One thing you can go ahead and do is add compost to your garden site- the more the better.

The Extension office can fill you in on what varieties grow well there, and when the first and last dates to plant them are. They are a great resource.

Then I would go online to find the varieties that are recommended. Many of the box stores offer what is available from the big growers, who could care less that Tucson's growing conditions are vastly different from Detroit's! It drives me crazy to see people actually buying peonies at the local Lowes. Peonies won't grow here! It is toooooo hot!

When you get to the deciding on variety stage, let us know. Somebody here will know where to get those onion seeds, or those tomato seeds. And in Arizona, you have to grow peppers! They grow the best hot peppers out there!

Good luck!

Janie