Location, location.For bumper harvests, grow vegetables in a sunny, well-drained area. Fall is the best time to break new ground and enrich soil for spring planting. Organic amendments—such as compost, manure, and peat moss—have time to blend in over winter. With a spade or tiller, turn the earth to a depth of 8 to 10 inches before the ground freezes. The loose soil will dry more quickly in spring. If you are starting from scratch in the spring, follow the same procedure. Simply wait until the soil has dried out. To test whether soil is ready to work, squeeze some in your hand, then poke at the clump. If the clump breaks up easily into small crumbs, the soil is dry enough to till.
Plant cool-season crops—peas, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, radish, carrot, onion, and chard—as soon as the soil thaws and dries to a crumbly texture. Wait until after frost danger is past to plant warm-season tomatoes, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, melons, peppers, and eggplants.