What should I plant in a beginner spring garden?

Start with cool-weather crops like lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, and sugar snap peas — they germinate in soil as cold as 45°F. Use a 4x4 raised bed filled with a mix of compost, vermiculite, and peat moss or coconut coir. Plant seeds shallow (¼ to ½ inch) and keep soil moist. Don’t plant tomatoes or peppers until it’s warmer.