Get your garden soil ready

It feels like spring and most greens can be planted right now: lettuce, parsley, Swiss chard, kale, spinach and peas, to name a few.
But first, it's necessary to prepare the garden soil. After clearing the garden or a space for a new garden, work some aged manure or compost into the soil before planting with a pitchfork or rototiller. If you want to be scientific, you can get your soil tested at the Oakland County Extension office, oakgov.com/msu/Pages/program_service/garden/soil_testing.aspx
There are a number of places that sell manure, such as horse farms; Be sure it is aged and wear rubber gloves when handling it. Do not use raw manure. Cook's Farm Dairy in Ortonville sells cow manure.
Commercially packed manure is pre-composted, and can be purchased at most garden centers.
South Oakland County Recycling Partners sells screened compost at a very reasonable price. socrra.org/
To make your own compost, see the page on this blog about organic farmers' solutions. 3 challenges of organic gardening
If possible, let the garden rest a day or two before planting.