For some gardeners, the idea of starting seeds outside in their garden is just about impossible to consider. It could be that the ground has too much clay or too much sand or is just generally too inhospitable to consider sowing seeds straight in the outdoor soil. On the other hand, you have some plants that just don't transplant well. You can try growing them indoors and then moving them out into the garden, but the chances are that you will lose the tender seedling before you ever get to enjoy it. So what is a gardener to do when they have soil that they can't plant directly in but have seeds that they cannot start indoors? One option is to use potting soil in the ground.
Using Potting Soil in the Ground
Using potting soil in the ground where you want to grow your seedlings is an excellent way to start seeds in your garden in spite of the soil conditions that reality gave you. Using potting soil in the garden is easy. Simply select the location where you would like to grow your seeds. Dig a shallow hole twice as wide as the location you wish to sow your seeds. In this hole, mix together some of the native soil that you just removed with an equal amount of potting soil. Then, in the center of this hole where you plan on planting your seeds, remove a section of the soil again and fill this hole with only potting soil. What this does is create a graded hole for your seeds to grow in. If you were to simply dig a hole and fill it with potting soil, you would essentially be turning your garden soil into a pot. Seeds that are started in easy-to-grow potting soil may have some serious trouble branching their roots into the more difficult soil beyond the potting soil. By grading the soil, the seedlings will have an easier time learning to penetrate the more difficult soil of your garden. Once the seeds are planted, make sure to keep the potting soil properly watered. Starting seeds in potting soil in the ground is an excellent way to start difficult-to-transplant seeds in the garden.