The clay is super ionic; sticks to surfaces, rather than working into stomatae. Fine for plants...good for soil as well.
I like ALL the borer stuff, but know that almost ALL my plants got borer last year and I just sliced with a razor til I found them and CUT them

. Mess with my squash; I CUT you...
Bed prep? I piled some compostables on the beds in fall (sheet composting of a sorts) I will rake them off (adding the rakings to the big pile) and plant.
Bed prep sounds like a lot of work. It doesn't have to be, and some good things happen when you leave soil alone...
HG