The balmy early days of spring tempt gardeners to poke around in their cold, sodden soil. But don't get too zealous with the rototiller without checking the water content of your soil.
People have a propensity to over-rototill.
It eliminates the air spaces necessary for root growth. Soil rototilled too early also will dry into hard clods, making preparation of a nice seed bed difficult. To determine whether the moisture content of clayey soil is satisfactory for tilling, take a handful of soil and squeeze it into a ball in your hand. The moisture content is good for tilling if slight pressure from your fingertips causes the ball to crumble. Or, drop a ball of soil from waist height.