It is a rainy, Spring day here in Chicago. The last thing you want to do is go out in the garden and step on the wet soil. Soil that is saturated with rain gets compacted easily. Our soil is alive. The microbes, nematodes, and the structure of the soil all need space to “breathe.” So…
Don’t garden on rainy days or just after rainy days.
Wait! Let the soil dry out. Don’t make your garden into a solid dead mass.
The test. Take a small handful of surface soil and make it into a ball. If the ball crumbles when you drop it, that’s a good sign that the soil can be worked.
Soil with high amounts of organic matter and compost should be workable a day or two after rains. Just remember the test. Keep your soil happy, and your plants will be happy too.