Garden Center at Joplin #3042

It's time to start thinking of spring. We're here to help you prepare for sprouts poking up, warmer temperatures, and fragrant breezes. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you'll be ready to transplant spring flowers and young veggie plants when the frosts are through and the ground thaws. You might even want to directly sow seeds into the earth.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting spring flowers, veggies, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the U.S. and its territories is sorted by climate. Find your zone on the USDA zone map and learn when to plant seeds.

For example, you could plant bell pepper seedlings outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. For best results, choose plants in your zone number or less. In other words, a Zone 5 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–5. The timeframe to direct sow outdoors in your garden is often around a month later than the indoor start date. Read your seed packet for details. If you start plants later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
If you're in Zone 6–8, check out cruciferous veggies and certain herbs if you're ready to get planting. This includes cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Greens like spinach, artichokes, early-blooming annuals like marigolds, and fragrant herbs, including basil, parsley, and oregano, also don't mind an early beginning. Traditional garden vegetables like peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, and tomatoes are fine with an early spring or late winter planting indoors under the grow lights.

Look up the date of your last predicted frost, then count backward 6 to 8 weeks. That's when you should start your seeds indoors. The idea is to have strong baby plants that are ready for transplant at the same time the ground is warm enough. Do your best and enjoy the process — watching your plants grow, bloom, and put out tiny veggies that'll grow to harvest size is part of the fun.

Start Seeds Indoors
Grow your garden from seeds by starting them indoors. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. Veteran planters and new gardeners alike should disinfect seed trays with a watered-down bleach solution before reusing them each year. When your pots or trays are prepared, plant your seeds. As for the soil, check to see if yours needs nutrient balancing. Choose fertilizers that match what you're growing. It'll help give your plants everything they need to grow big and strong.

Measure your finger to use it as a ruler. In general, you'll plant 3–5 seeds, then press them into the soil to the depth you need with your finger. Mark where you planted the seeds with a toothpick or plant tag. Otherwise, it'll be a surprise when the sprouts push out of the soil.

Sprouts
When your seeds have sprouted but aren't ready to go outside yet, you can still prepare them for outdoor life. These inch-tall micro-seedlings are fragile but resilient. Seedlings certainly don't get all this pampering in nature, so they can handle more than you think. However, don't go overboard, as your sprouts are still babies. You can even use an oscillating fan on low to mimic the wind and strengthen their stems.

Harden Your Seedlings
When you're hardening your sprouts and gradually introducing them to the outdoors, be flexible. Keep an eye on your baby plants. If they're looking rough, don't push them. It’s ok to roll back a step or two if need be: Bring them inside overnight or put them in shady places instead of direct sun. As always, make sure they're watered enough but not drowning. Whisk wilted plants inside and give them a good drink, making sure they're strong before returning them outdoors.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
When your plants have three or four real leaves — different from miniature seedling leaves – it's time to transplant them. In quality soil, dig a hole that's the same size as the dirt plug where your transplant has been growing. If your ground soil isn't great, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer as directed. Don't apply more than recommended, as you could burn the plant and kill it instead of helping it.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it off with mulch and compost. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. Mulch and compost can be purchased in-store or created at home. The next time you're looking for "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the perfect amount.

Greet the Spring
Early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse our garden center pages to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Joplin, MO (Repl. 3023) Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.