I can bring in soil if I had a nice spot to do it. The shade really is my biggest problem getting things started. But once it barely pokes thru the ground it gets chewed off.
I did find some little stinky pellets at lowes that seem to be helping. It's supposed to keep them away for 2 months before I have to do it again. They had a spray but it was 40 dollars a can and you had to keep re applying it.