What To Do With The Garden During A Year Off

We are predicted to have another year with hardly any rainfall, so I’m not planning to plant a garden this year. What I’m wondering is, what do I do with the soil to keep the garden from turning back into lawn during this year off. (Covering the soil with clear plastic probably isn’t an option for me because of the cost.). Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

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Wait, what’s this about not planting a garden?