Good luck! I was in your position a year ago, I had moved into my first house and created my first vegetable garden. I'm in a very different zone (6A) and my season is winding down, but I think I had a very successful summer with my first garden, given that it was very cool and rainy for all of June and July. Here is what I did, for what it's worth. I had the area tilled where I wanted to create a garden (it was grass). I then raked out all the big clumps of grass left behind, and added them to my new compost bin. I then had 2 yards of topsoil and 2 yards of compost delivered (my garden is 16'x16'). I think adding the topsoil and compost really added the nutrients needed and eliminated any grass re-growing in the area. But, after finding this site, I realize a soil test would have been a good idea. After I planted, I mulched with salt hay to keep down any weeds (make sure if you use straw you ask if there are any seeds in the straw). I hope this information helps in some way! Good luck and above all, have fun! Use this site often for advice, I do and there are many people with years of experience and knowledge who have helped guide me through my first year as a gardener! p.s. consider creating a compost bin, if you haven't already, you can create your own garden fertilizer with it. I got mine through the town public works department for a very reasonable price

Hi Dave, welcome to Gardenweb. I don't have answers to these questions, but wanted to suggest you might get more responses on the organic or Alabama forums. Good luck!

I agree with not digging out the soil. Bob cats create an enormous mess. You will have soil to get rid of. If you build a bed that is raised even slightly above ground level, tending it is much easier. If you are talking about crop rotation and companion planting, then might we assume you are intending to grow vegetables and/or herbs? It is important to state this on a forum like this, to get right to the point. You may find the cornucopia forum more usefull if you are growing vegies. Raised beds and a no dig type garden would be far more suitable, bearing in mind that you will need to continuously improve the soil. You might as well make use of the soil that is already there, in which to incorporate all your yummy additives. Cheers, Jan

I agree with FM on 1 and 3 but think that 2 is an aster, what used to be called Aster cordifolius , but is now called Symphyotrichum cordifolium AKA heart-leafed aster AKA wood aster. It's a common wild plant here in New England that blooms with a froth of pale purple/blue/white in the fall and then seeds around everwhere. Easiest to pull up when still young.