I am so impressed with you and all of the commenters here. Gives me faith in Americans. I’ve done a bit of gardening, have learned much about what different vegetables do in my microclimate and soils. Have learned which veggies do best with a lazy and forgetful gardener. My best advice is 1. Do online research specific to your location, there are so many people giving good advice on the internet, and I had to learn not to take advice from people on the east coast or Midwest, when I live in Southern California. 2. Bus Blend Malibu Compost…(for small gardens not acres!) expensive but a little bit goes a long way and improves the soil amazingly. 3. Find the herbs and flowers that attract beneficial insects in your area, and plant them in and around your other stuff. Things like green lacewings that can be bought at gardening stores, will eat up so many bad bugs that are trying to eat your food. There are beneficial nematodes that you can put in the soil to get rid of flea and mite eggs. Over a period of 2 years, I stopped spraying any anti bug stuff, planted bunches of beneficial bug stuff, and nature took its course. It looked like a mess for a while, but as the beneficial bugs arrived, over time It balanced and I don’t have problems with things like aphids anymore. Vegetables do take more time and attention. I learned to just plant what works in my climate, and what does okay on neglect, and let go of the idea of doing it all.