Garden Center at East Sandy #4421

Set Up For Springtime
It's time to start thinking of spring. Clean out the shed and sweep the gazebo to prepare for fragrant breezes, warmer temperatures, and sprouts poking up out of the ground. Planting seeds indoors means you'll be ready to transplant spring flowers and young veggie plants when the ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to plant seeds directly into the earth. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery?

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know 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 growing 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. The plants that'll thrive in your area are in your zone — plus all the zones numbered less than that. In other words, a Zone 8 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–8. 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 seeds a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
This region ranges from 7–9, with higher elevations in Zones 5 and 6. You'll find fertile land in some places, but deserts and mountains with harsher conditions elsewhere. What you can grow and when will vary considerably depending on where you live. In Zones 5 and 6, the outdoor growing season doesn't begin here until mid-March or even April, although you can start some veggies by seed halfway through February. Warmer Zones 7–9 can plant earlier, but if you're in the desert, you'll likely want to investigate indoor gardening in a sunroom or porch.

Utilize greenhouses to grow herbs and vegetables. Native plants like cacti, succulents, and other hardy desert shrubs will grow outside with ease. Other beloved garden vegetables love the heat, like squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. 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 varieties that can handle the weather before planting outdoors.

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 pouch and try it.

Your seeds might get washed away or struggle to grow, or rodents or insects might eat the sprouts. But if you're really lucky, you might get a strong sprout from each place you sowed seeds, perfectly spaced and ready to grow all spring. The reality of your sown seeds 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 in the long term.

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
Place your transplants in the ground, then give them a generous drink of water. Blanket the surrounding area with mulch, marking where the plant is with a stick so you can easily find it among the grass clippings, old leaves, or straw. If your yard is regularly visited by deer or rodents, 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 flower bed with mulch and compost. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. 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. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, 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, a pellet grill, or an outdoor rug to your balcony or patio. Shop for the soil, seeds, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your E Sandy Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.