Garden Center at North Spokane #4719

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep the gazebo and clean out the shed to 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 annuals when the frosts are through and the ground thaws. You might even want to sow organic 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 learn when planting veggies, spring flowers, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the U.S. and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA plant hardiness 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. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Be sure to 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
In the Pacific Northwest, Montana, and Idaho, there’s a wide range of climates and growing zones. Most of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are Zones 6–9, with the higher peaks coming in as Zones 4–5. Montana is in Zone 5 on the western end, but the mountainous regions are mostly Zone 4, with the tallest mountains as Zone 3.

The differences in planting zones means your seed sowing times will vary. The coastal regions in Zones 8 and 9 can start many seeds indoors in mid-January. Colder regions in 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, waiting until the frost has passed will give your seeds the best chance at a healthy life.

Popular veggies of all kinds, including cucumbers and tomatoes, are fine with an early spring or late winter start indoors under the grow lights. Your spring flower seed choices, whether they're annuals or perennials, can also often get an indoor beginning.

Start Seeds Indoors
Save money when you grow 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 warming lights or a warming mat to go with your seed tray or planter pots. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your N Spokane Garden Center — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. You can also use pots with potting soil and seed starter mix.

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. 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 certainly 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 floor fan on low to mimic the wind and strengthen their stems.

Harden Your Seedlings
Remember to harden off your seedlings once they're a few inches tall. This is a process of gradually introducing them to the outdoors, making them stronger in the long run. Hardening means you're less likely to lose your growing garden during a sudden cold snap.

Transplant Young Plants Into Their New Homes
You've raised your baby plants from seeds, watched them sprout, and carefully hardened them off to brave Mother Nature. By now, your plants have three or four real leaves — they'll look different from the miniature seedling leaves. When the ground is warm, and you're not expecting soaking rain, look into transplanting your small plants into their new outdoor home. These large seedlings that are ready to be planted can also be called "transplants" or "starts." In cases where you directly planted into the ground, you may still want to shuffle plants around for the best spacing and sun. That's also a transplant situation, as is repotting plants into larger pots.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it off with mulch and compost. 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 moist 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 right 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 artificial grass, an outdoor rug, or a pellet grill to your patio or balcony. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your N Spokane Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.