How to Grow in Black Topsoil

Loosen the soil surface with a shovel. Rake the bed to smooth it out for planting.

Dig holes or furrows. Make them as deep as a seedling's root system is long and just as wide. Build trenches that are twice as deep as a seed's diameter. Seedling labels and the back of seed packets offer brief planting instructions, including spacing, depth, light and water requirements.

Set the seedlings in the center of the holes. Sow the seeds in the furrows. Refill the holes with the black topsoil and cover the seeds until the trenches are level with the soil line. Tap the surface to firm the ground around the stems and over the seeds.

Irrigate the seedlings to the root zone and the seeds to a depth about 1/2 inch below them at planting. Continue to maintain the new plants and keep the germinating seeds moist. After germination and when the seedlings show continuous growth, follow the watering recommendations for the species you planted. Most vegetable plants require 1 inch of water weekly, for example. A good rule is to wait until the soil surface dries to 1 inch deep to hydrate the plants to their root zones.

Suppress weeds and slow evaporation with a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of each plant. Use straw, wood chips and shredded bark, for instance. Pine needles are a good mulch option for acid-loving plants.