The site you select for a garden is extremely important. A sunny spot with no trees to shade the soil is vital. The site should be well drained and a very slight south slope will warm earlier in spring. Be sure water is readily accessible, as vegetables need frequent supplemental water.
If you have a choice, select a site with good soil. If not, plant to amend the soil with organic material (compost, peat moss or well-aged manure) and add an application of 5-10-10 fertilizer, according to the rates listed on the package. If you are working with subsoil or pure decomposed granite, consider the purchase of a truckload of good topsoil.
Starting from scratch with imported topsoil can be expensive. To reduce the expense and make the most of your garden area, build a series of small (4’ x 4’) raised beds with garden timbers 12 inches high and fill them with at least eight inches of soil. Plant the entire 16 square feet in vegetables, flowing spacing requirements for the particular plants you are using, but not planting in standard rows. This type of intensive gardening will produce a very large harvest in a small area, and is easy to care for. Weed problems are negligible. However, it is even more important in intensive gardening to fertilize regularly. Raised beds will warm faster in the spring and are easy to cover during a cold spell or hail storm.
Source: UI Extension