Garden Center at Santa Fe #3503

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
On beautiful spring days, tidy the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Lawn care is often a priority as well. Don't forget to sweep out the gazebo and clean the shed in preparation for spring, too. No matter what outdoor projects you choose to tackle and which plants you need, search for your local plant nursery and find that The Garden Center in Santa Fe, NM can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting vegetables, 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 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 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. Be sure to read your seed packet for details. If you start them a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
The diverse topography of this area means planting times vary widely. Desert areas are in Zones 7-10, depending on location, and areas with more elevation are in chillier Zones 4–6. Both mountains and deserts are susceptible to extreme conditions, so consider indoor gardening as a strong supplement to growing outdoors if possible.

In the desert, native plants like cacti, succulents, and other hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat, like nightshades. If you start them indoors and carefully introduce them outdoors in the shade, you can enjoy raising vegetables even in a dry climate. However, many flowers, both annuals and perennials, are sensitive to that much heat and sun, so research to find which varieties can handle the weather before planting outdoors.

Colder regions in Zones 6–8 should wait a little longer to plant, and all these zones need to wait an additional month before planting seeds outdoors rather than indoors. Mountainous regions in Zones 3 to 5 will have the shortest growing season, with seed starters going in later in the spring. Although the weather may vary, wait until the frost has passed to give your seeds the best chance at a hearty and healthy life.

Check out certain herbs and cruciferous veggies if you're ready to get planting. This includes broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Greens like spinach, artichokes, and fragrant herbs, including basil, parsley, and oregano, also don't mind an early beginning. In Zones 4–6, traditional garden vegetables like peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, and tomatoes are fine with an early spring or late winter start indoors under the grow lights.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Planting seeds with the direct sow method, right into the soil, is another option. There's less planning and tending than growing indoors. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed pack and give it a try.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: Be ready for none of your seeds to sprout, all of them to come up, and anything in between. Your seedlings will need to survive wind, rain, and sudden cold snaps, as well as rodents and insects that want a crunchy green snack. But if you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that are ready to grow all spring.

Start Seeds Indoors
If you're eager to get growing or would like more control in the care and feeding of seedlings, start your seeds indoors in your own plant nursery. In general, you can plant seeds indoors about a month before you can do it outside. Like direct sow, you push the seeds into the soil as directed on the seed packet, but that's where the similarities end.

You're responsible for giving them quality substitutes for sunlight and rain. Keep your seeds cozy with heat mats and grow lights, water them carefully with a mister or watering can, then thin them as they germinate in groups of three. Give them a boost with a gently blowing fan as they lengthen into sprouts if you'd like. Harden them off to get them used to outdoor conditions, then transplant them into your garden when they're big enough.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
When your plants have three or four real leaves — different from mini seedling leaves — 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 fantastic, dig a slightly bigger hole and fill the extra room with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer as directed, either on top of the soil after it's planted or in the hole. Only apply as much as recommended, as you could burn and kill the plant instead of helping it.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it all off with mulch and compost. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. 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
Early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Plan your garden and landscaping, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse The Home Depot nursery to find inspiration on what to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding artificial grass, an outdoor rug, or a pellet grill to your patio or balcony. Shop for the soil, fertilizer, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Santa Fe, NM Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.