Start with lettuce, spinach, and peas — they handle cold dirt just fine.

Yes, but keep it simple. A 4x4 raised bed is perfect for a beginner spring garden. Fill it with good soil (not bagged topsoil — get a mix of compost, vermiculite, and peat moss or coconut coir). That’s 80% of success right there.

Cool-weather crops = leafy greens and peas. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, and sugar snap peas will germinate in soil as cold as 45°F. Don’t bother with tomatoes or peppers yet — they need warmth and will sulk in spring weather. Radishes and carrots also work if you want something under the dirt.

Plant seeds shallow (about ¼ to ½ inch) and keep the soil moist but not soggy. If a late frost hits, throw an old bedsheet over the bed overnight—works better than worrying.

Spring gardening is forgiving as long as you don’t plant summer stuff too early. You’ll be eating salad and snap peas before you know it.