Hey Kellyl...
Welcome to the site.
I'm jealous of your red clay, best soil in the state! I'm totally serious..
I'm in the upland sand hills... And if you have a moment... Google it... Will make you appreciate your clay.
Anyway...
For veggies, mulching with compost is fine... Adding hay on top of the mulch will help prevent the sun from burning the nutrients and organic matterial out of the compost...
In Georgia we have to worry about a host of things that people north of us have never even heard of...
