Okay I just moved into a home with a mid-south climate and there is old dry dirt for the patches and some yellow dead occasional grass weeds. Am I out of luck to raise this to anything possible for this fall or can I still get in there this weekend, rescue it somehow, and get some squash or pumpkins in before the ground freezes over?

If you think I can, please advise how you think I would.go about it. I think the weed roots need to be pulled out and the ground covered with plastic and new soil needs to be laid on it and the seeds planted. But maybe I'm just crazy. It seems to me that winter vegetables are a safe bet (e.g. cabbages, tubers, roots, squash, pumpkin) but I just don't know. Advice greatly appreciated!