Garden Center at Norwood #2681

Set Up For Springtime
On beautiful spring days, tidy the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Planning your garden lets you make the most of your time and space. Don't forget to clean the shed and sweep out the gazebo in preparation for spring, too. No matter which plants you need and what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, search for your local plant nursery and find that The Home Depot Norwood Garden Center can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting veggies, spring flowers, 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 planting zone map and learn when to plant seeds.

For example, you could transplant bell peppers outdoors in mid-March in Zone 10, but not until the end of May in Zone 4. You'll have good results with plants that have your zone number or less. In other words, a Zone 6 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–6. 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 seeds a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will likely even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
In Zone 5, which includes parts of Pennsylvania as well as upstate New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and southern Maine, your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like beets and carrots, leafy greens including lettuce, and cruciferous veggies like cabbage and kale. You can try squash, but prepare for additional warming upkeep when late frost is forecast. Target planting dates are roughly mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're directly sowing them into your garden or starting your seeds indoors.

Much of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, southern New York state, and New Jersey are in Zone 6, so planting can begin earlier there than farther north. Parts of Virginia are even warmer, coming in at Zone 7. The outdoor growing season doesn't begin until mid-March or even April, although you can plant some veggie seeds halfway through February. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, onions, and other classic garden crops will do well in this region, and most of them can get an early start indoors before spring really moves in.

Start Seeds Indoors
Save money and gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds by starting them indoors in your own seedling garden. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. For best results, you'll want grow lights or a warming mat to go with your seed tray or plant pots. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your Norwood Garden Center — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. You can also use pots with seed starter mix and potting soil.

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 plant tag or toothpick. That way, you'll know where your seeds should pop up, and you can be sure they're not weeds. 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 don't get all this pampering in nature when they volunteer and grow wherever they please, 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. Whisk wilted plants inside and give them a good drink, making sure they're healthy before setting them outdoors again.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
Place your transplants in the ground, then water them well. Surround them with mulch, marking where the plant is with a tag or stick so you can easily find it among the grass clippings, old leaves, or straw. If your yard is regularly visited by rabbits, squirrels, deer, or chipmunks, consider putting up chicken wire or other protective measures so your plants and veggies are less likely to get eaten before they thrive.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish your planting by following it with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger and larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. Compost and mulch 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
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Plan your garden and landscaping, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse The Home Depot nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding a pellet grill or artificial grass to your outdoor space. Shop for the fertilizer, soil, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Norwood Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.