westridgegarden wrote:
hi all,
i'm going to plant a small vegetable garden in our backyard.
Currently
an entire section of the back is piled with woodchips and in some
spots several inches deep with sand.

Also, since we are in a city (chicago), is it unwise to plant
directly
into the ground? Am I better off planting in a raised bed filled
with
topsoil and compost? I should mention that in spite of the woodchips
and the sand, the soil is rich and moist.

In that case, I would scatter the sand & chips over a wider area, rent
a rototiller and till it all in to 6 or 8 inches, plant and enjoy.
Unless you are on top of the old city dump!!

Tom J