After a long winter, it's great to get back out in the garden and start planting. The best way to tell if the soil is ready for planting is to pick up a handful and squeeze it. If the soil forms a tight ball as you put some pressure on it, it's too wet to plant. If it crumbles under some pressure, go ahead and prepare the soil.
Before planting, add some compost to replenish the organic matter in the soil. Compost helps retain moisture and loosens the soil. Quality compost has a soft, springy texture and is available in bulk or in bags. Work compost into the garden with a garden fork.
Early spring crops--onions, lettuce, carrots, radishes, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower--can tolerate cool soils and a few light freezes.
When planting onions, sort them into large and small. Plant small ones four inches apart because they will be in the garden the entire season and harvested as large, storage onions. Plant large sets closer together and harvest them as early green scallion onions.
When planting lettuce, sow the seeds in a single row and keep in mind that it will spread out. Lettuce, mesclun and spinach can also be planted in shallow bowl-shaped pots 12 to 24 inches in diameter.
Marking where you plant specific vegetables helps you determine spacing requirements and can save maintenance time later.
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