noob to outdoor question

Unless your top soil is primo (i doubt it) Just go to home depot and grab a bag of organic soil. Dig about a 2' x 2' hole and in goes your soil. I'd go ahead and get this done so that the soil can start breaking down and help your plant in the long run. Also if you're going to top feed your plants by adding ferts that go into the ground via rain/watering, go ahead and add some too.

Dont plant plants on top of each other. Spread them out in staggard formation, not rows. Don't leave trash. Dont make trails.

 

I don't plant contraband in the ground because I like the option of moving it when needed, but when I plant roses or any other shrubbery, I dig a "$20 hole." That is, dig a hole approximately 2' cubed. In that hole I add a mix of 1/4 peat or sphagnum moss, 1/4 composted cow manure, and 1/2 of the native top soil (not the sand or clay or gravel or whatever is in the bottom of the hole. Depending on the type of soil you have, loam, sandy, clay, etc., you can also mix in vermiculite or pearlite. I have sandy soil so I don't need to improve drainage. If your soil is really bad, you can buy a 40 lb. bag of topsoil or potting soil for a few bucks.

When I fill the hole, I have thrown in fish carcasses or lobster carapaces but usually just sprinkle in a layer of bone meal for phosphorus in the bottom 1/3 then add more soil mix and sprinkle a layer of blood meal for nitrogen and then fill the hole with the rest of the soil.

If you have the time, let it mellow for a week or two and you will be amazed at the growth your plants will put on. You can also plant right away if you're impatient. Shouldn't hurt anything.

 

Beware of using fish ferts, blood meal, etc. if you have wild animals around. Bears and raccoons will dig out your plants trying to find the fish or the source of the blood.

 

True that! cats and dogs will dig there too if they're around.