Garden Center at College Park #2552

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

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing you should know 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 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. 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. Always read your seed packet for details. If you start plants a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

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

Much of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, southern New York state, and Connecticut 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 thrive in this region, and most of them can get an early start indoors before spring really moves in.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Planting seeds into your garden soil, or using the direct sow method, is an alternative option. It doesn't give you as much organized planning in terms of space and reliability as starting indoors. However, if you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed package and give it a try.

Your seeds might get washed away or struggle to grow, or critters or insects might eat the sprouts. But if you're really lucky, you might get strong sprouts, perfectly spaced and ready to grow all spring. The reality of your garden will usually be somewhere in between, and spreading out tiny sprouts throughout the soil isn't so bad. You know those sprouts are hardy and primed to survive, although there are no guarantees.

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 instead. 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 true leaves — different from miniature seedling leaves – transplant them. In quality soil, dig a hole 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 all off with mulch and compost. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. 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 right amount.

Greet the Spring
Late winter into 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 soil, fertilizer, and seeds you need in the aisles of your College Park Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.