By William Moss

  • Start cleaning containers and pots so they are ready for planting. Take out old soil and any trellises and scrub the pots to remove dirt. You can go a step further and sterilize them by soaking them in a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach. Rinse well.
  • Once the garden thaws, remove old garden debris, such as leaves, stalks, and seed heads, to reduce the presence of any overwintering diseases and pests. This also helps to encourage new growth on perennials. Once the garden is cleared, mulch with a light layer of compost for aesthetics and extra nutrients.
  • Wait until the soil is warmed and somewhat dry to dig planting holes or work the soil. Test it by squeezing a handful of soil; if the particles stick together tightly even when you open your hand, it's too wet. Wait until it holds together loosely. Working in wet soil can turn it into heavy clods and lead to compaction problems.


Removing last year's dead foliage will allow sun to warm up the soil.


Squeezing a handful of soil is one way to tell if it has the right amount of moisture for digging or tilling.

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