Soil Prep: add compost, steer manure, grass clippings, etc in moderate amounts mix in the top six inches or so.
Fertilizing: Fertilize now with weed and feed type fertilizer. Don't over do it. Moderate fertilizing every five or six weeks is better than pouring it on and then burning lawns. If you can find one with iron in it, buy it. The salty nature of our soil ties up iron and brings on yellow leaves. Fertilizers with 16-16-16 are better for yard and garden than 21-0-0. Be sure that fertilizers are watered into any lawn of off leaves. If all you need it green grass a 21-0-0 cheap fertilizer is just fine. For better flowers buy fertilizer with higher middle and end numbers (5-10-10). If you can fertilize before a rain or snowstorm you won't have to water it in.
Be careful with fertilizers that have weed killer in it, it can damage newly planted petunias,or other annuals.
Adding a lot of organic material to soil can deplete the nitrogen in the soil that's why moderate amounts always are better than over doing it.
Planting: This time of year, you can plant peas, carrots, beets, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, kohlrabi that's it. Anything else will be killed by frost. Hold off on planting anything out until the end of April. If you want a head start on tomatoes, you have to use the wall of water with the top nearly closed. Strawberries can go into the ground now. Also summer bulbs for gladiolas, begonias, etc need to be planted now. It's too late for spring bulbs like tulips; they go into the ground in the fall.
This is a great time for planting trees and shrubs, raspberries, and other bare root stock.
Digging in wet soggy soil can crate hard brick-like clods that are hard to break down. Just wait until the soil dries out a couple or threes days.
More later Larry
