Garden Center at NE Anchorage #1302

Set Up For Springtime
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep the gazebo and clean out the shed to prepare for fragrant breezes, warmer temperatures, and sprouts poking up out of the ground. 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 plant organic seeds directly into the earth. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery, The Garden Center in Ne Anchorage?

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing you should know when planting spring flowers, vegetables, 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 7 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–7. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Always read your seed packet for details. If you start plants later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will likely even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Alaska has a range of growing zones, ranging from Zones 1 and 2 in the coldest regions, to slightly warmer Zones 3 and 4, to the areas on the coast that go all the way up to Zone 8. You’re not going to grow many veggies outside for very long and will need to resort to grow lights, growing tables, and greenhouses to supplement for the cold temperatures and low-angle or lack of sunlight. For the warmer coastal regions in Zones 5–8, consider starting your plants indoors between the middle of January and March. The heart of growing season is from May 15th through the middle of September, so get your indoor starts going on time. When you hit the ground running as soon as the weather warms enough, you can get the most out of those five sunny months.

If you’re planting outdoors, Zone 3 options include root vegetables, greens, and cole crops. Greenhouses let you expand your range to popular vegetables that need more sun and warmer temperatures, like bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other veggies that usually require a Zone 4 or more. If possible, plant where you can get as much sun as possible on the southern side. Root vegetables and cruciferous veggies can go on the opposite side or northwest. There are many tricks to get the best results and yield from your garden, but they vary according to where you live in this vast state. Remember to check out spring flowers, too. For full details, look into specific tips tailored to your region, whether it’s sun-warmed mound gardens or plastic mulch.

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 reliability and spacing compared to indoor starts. However, if you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed packet and try it out.

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

Start Seeds Indoors
If you'd like more control over your seedlings' journey or you're eager to get growing, 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 rain and sun. Keep your seeds cozy with heat mats and grow lights, water them carefully with a spray bottle 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 — it's time to 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 any fertilizer as directed on the package, 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 your flower bed with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. Mulch and compost can be DIY creations, but you can also purchase them in-store. The next time you're looking for "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the right 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, a pellet grill, or an outdoor rug to your patio or balcony. Shop for the fertilizer, soil, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Ne Anchorage Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.