12 dos and don’ts for early spring gardening

Don’t: Walk on your lawn or garden beds if you can avoid it. It’s important to protect your soil from becoming compacted by your weight. When soil is packed down, there’s no space for air, water, or plants’ roots. It’s especially easy to compact soil when it’s wet, as it often is in early spring. “If your soil feels wet or it’s raining, stay out of the garden,” Yiesla said. When you work in garden beds or on the lawn, place your feet on stepping stones to distribute your weight, or work from the sidewalk or path if you can.