Potting soils

Who needs it? Why not just start the seeds directly soil from the garden and save some money? In a word, fungus. Garden soil contains various fungi that can kill the seed before it even gets a chance to start to sprout, often within hours.
Ok, so potting soil is a necessary step, so what should you look for in potting soil? Find potting soils that have both fine and course particles mixed in because this will give the soil the proper air/moisture balance that is needed for seeds to mature properly. When the soil is put in a small pot and watered, the soil should hold the water fro about 10 seconds or so before the water begins to drain out the holes in the bottom of the pot. You want the soil to remain solid, not soupy. If it turns to a mushy mess, then it's probably not the potting soil you want.
You should also only buy potting soils from reputable companies in or very near your home state, and look for companies that specialize in potting soil mixtures indigenous to your area. Call the company if in doubt. This may seem like a waste of time and money, but I think you will soon find that it will most definitely pay dividends in the end with nice healthy seedlings, and even healthier, stronger transplants. You put a lot of time into your garden, get your seeds off to a great start.
http://syracuseblog.com/syracuseblog/page/Nazareth