Replace your soil? Why would you do that? You might dig in some compost but, aside from that, you're pretty much good to go. You might get your soil professionally tested to see if there are any nutrient deficiencies that you could deal with in between growing seasons. There was a thread here a week or so ago about how to do that economically in California. See here

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/4334276/soil-analysis-with-perry-labs-in-watsonville?n=16

Agree with Dan! We start our beds with a nice mix from the organic place, then add our own compost from time to time.

We don't make enough of our own compost to do all of the beds so we do get a truckload of compost from the organic place every few years to till in with my mini tiller. I think a small truck load is about $40. That covers our 7 beds enough to till/dig in.

I'm in the North Bay (Sonoma Co), so very similar to your area. Nancy

Also, cardboard is your friend if you don't want a winter garden! I cover a few of my beds for the winter and only have 2 beds for my winter beds. Nancy

I should add that confusion may arise from how one deals with container plants. Those plants are often set up with sterile potting mix, which doesn't have the bacterial or fungal herd that keeps the soil fertile by breaking down organic matter. So that mix becomes nutritionally exhausted, and is often replaced. Your in-ground beds do have that herd. You just need to keep seeding it with organic matter.

I assumed that hawk (OP) used a soilless potting medium in his raised bed, not a healthy, native soil.

Fair point. The phrase "nursery mix" is sometimes (but not always) applied to container mixes. Surprising, (and expensive!) to fill a whole raised bed with soilless container medium.

If that's what's going on, addition of lots of compost (and some native soil) will eventually fix it, though it may take a while to get a good bacterial and fungal equilibrium.

Hawk, you indicate that you used a "nice nursery mix". Chances are that you have everything you need except the seed. If you add compost a very thin layer (1/2" or less) will be be better than more. A soil test is a good start but don't be surprised if most nutrients are in the "Above optimum" range. A lot depends on the makeup of your nursery mix.

For now don't worry about the pests. They will be back and you'll have to deal with them as they arrive. Slugs are one pest you may want to try to control early. If your bed mix is damp and warm enough to plant then set a few shallow pans of beer along the bed to attract a few slugs to drown themselves.

I use a lot off cover crops to add organic matter to the soil. Most of my crops are not in raised beds but I do have a few. One I have now will be planted with strawberries this spring and I have grown oats and peas in it. I usually just turn it over with a shovel and add some compost.

If you used a soilless medium, you may want to try using inoculant for your peas. Not absolutely necessary, but your soil might lack the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Then you can have a double use for your pea plants. You can eat the peas, then cut the plant at the soil level and leave the roots to release nitrogen into the soil. Food for you and the soil.

If hawk_941 is using a soiless medium, he/she probably has a lot more issues than nitrogen deficiency.

True. Probably isn't soilless, otherwise hawk would've had a difficult time getting a decent crop last year. Guess it would help to know what the mix consists of. Either way, it's a given that compost should be added. Inoculant would just make the peas a bonus crop.

hawk could have applied fertilizer to a soiless medium. That would have given a decent crop. Basically treating the bed like a container. But that was not mentioned in the OP.

Thanks to everyone, and apologies for not being around to answer – life got in the way for a little while.

I am using the Nursery Mix from here, so not soilless medium. It seems like I might just have to add compost for the Spring planting, as well as taking care of the slugs. I will test the soil first to see where I am with it.

Thanks again, everyone.

OK, good to hear. You're off to a great (second) start. Yes, just dig in some compost, and enjoy the result. A soil test is always a good idea to do once in a new bed, just to have a picture in your mind about what needs more work. I suspect any work that is pointed at by that test can be approached gradually.

The answer to cabbage worms is bacillus thuringiensis (BT). Spray or dust. Very nontoxic to anything else. Your garden store should have plenty of that. Slugs are just a matter of picking or, as noted above, drunk drowning.