You can get a lot of food out of a pretty small space by paying attention to timing and variety. I start peas in March, in the same space I can put tomatoes in June, then maybe a fall crop of lettuce or radishes. And I'm in Michigan.

Mostly you can get away without it. But - depending on your individual circumstances - 1 if you have heavy clay soils you want to clean them to avoid clay blocking your drainage, and 2 if you have any concerns whatsoever about disease from whatever you had planted there last year then you should.

You are worth every moment of joy. Grab it and grow it.🌻