My Favorite Planting Technique for Denver Gardeners: How to Plant Without Digging a Hole
If you’ve ever looked at a trowel and thought, “I really don’t feel like digging today,” you are not alone. That’s exactly why I want to share my go-to planting method that’s quick, gentle on your plants, and honestly… kind of satisfying.
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to dig a traditional hole to plant in your garden. I rarely do anymore! Whether I’m working in my kitchen garden beds or planting in the landscape, I almost always use this super simple “soil shifting” method instead. Let me walk you through it step-by-step:
Why I Love This Method (Especially in Denver)
Denver’s soil can be real compacted, especially if you’re not working in raised beds. By shifting the soil instead of digging it out, you disturb the ecosystem less and make better use of what’s already there.
Plus:
✅ It’s faster
✅ It’s easier on your body
✅ It gives your plants a solid start
Whether you’re planting tomatoes, perennials, or kitchen garden greens, this trick works beautifully.
Watch the tutorial video here! Or scroll down for the written step-by-step.
Step 1: Shift the Soil (Don’t Dig It Out)
Instead of digging out a hole, I just take my shovel and jam it straight into the soil, then push the soil over to one side. No big crater. No giant dirt pile. Just a nice little planting pocket, ready to go.
This keeps the surrounding soil structure intact, which is great for drainage and root health, and way easier on your body.
Step 2: Prep Your Plant
Once the planting spot is ready, I take the plant out of its pot and check the roots. This one was root bound (and dry, oops), so I used my fingers to loosen it up and wake those roots up a bit.
💡 Tip: You want the roots to know they’re not stuck in a pot anymore. Don’t be shy - give ‘em a little fluff.
Step 3: Tuck It In
Now I set the plant into the hole I made and shift that same soil right back around it. I press the soil in gently but firmly to make sure there’s good soil-to-root contact, super important for helping the plant establish quickly.
And guess what? I usually don’t need to remove any soil. It all goes right back in, right where it belongs.
Step 4: Finish with Mulch + a Press
To finish, I tuck the mulch back over the top, leaving a little breathing room around the stem. Then I give everything one more light press to secure the plant in place.
And that’s it! No deep digging, no soil piles, no fuss.
Want More Denver Gardening Tips?
This is just one of my favorite shortcuts to make gardening easier and more enjoyable, especially in Colorado’s tricky conditions. If you're ready to garden smarter, not harder...
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This is just the tip of the trowel! I put together a full, beautifully designed checklist of all my favorite gardening tools—perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to simplify their setup.
It includes soil tools, weeding gadgets, harvest helpers, and even my favorite freezer containers.
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Meet the Gardener
I’m Elisa Mack - a mom and Denverite who went from being a green-ish thumb to a kitchen garden fanatic simply by dedicating myself to the study of all things Colorado gardening.
Landscapers don’t design. And nurseries don’t make house calls.
We take a more full-service approach, from designing your dream garden to keeping it beautiful year-round.
And as your coach, I’ll help eliminate the guesswork through every season, no matter your level of knowledge.
