@Rubi thanks for the insight! I thought this would be the way to go because a lot of people that I've seen online at that seem to be able to garden abundant produce seem to be using a garden beds but I personally don't have any experience with them and honestly I don't know what location they are in either so maybe in their part of the country garden beds make more sense where I'm at in TX.
I'm just outside of Houston & it rains a good amount here. Which makes me think that since the soil is so clay I really shouldn't water in between rains and I should just wait for the rain to water the crops for me. that said, how am I supposed to know if I should indeed be watering? let's say it hasn't rained in awhile how should I know that I should probably water? Should I stick my finger in the soil and if it's dry and hot that means I should water?