Garden Center at Port Charlotte #201

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Sweep out the gazebo and clean the shed to prepare for sprouts poking up, fragrant breezes, and warmer temperatures. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights 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 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 you should know when planting spring flowers, veggies, 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 zone map and learn when to plant seeds.

For example, you could transplant bell peppers 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. Read your seed packet for details. If you start plants later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Your climate is excellent for growing year-round if you've got good soil. Why not think of springtime planting now? With such beautiful weather, you can direct sow many types of seeds. From classics like peppers and cucumbers to green beans and spinach, you have a wide variety of options. Last year's garden might still be growing if there was no reason to put it to bed — especially if it's close to the house or in a greenhouse. In that case, tend it as usual.

Some seeds, like tomatoes, do best when started indoors and aren't recommended as direct sows. Read your seed packets and adjust accordingly for your region. Although the warm temps are excellent for growing, check your soil to make sure it's rich enough and a good match to your plants. Sandy soil and Miami limestone will need soil amendments to adjust the texture and pH for a successful garden if you're growing many garden plants. If you go with native plants like muscadines, persimmons, blueberries, and red mulberries, they're already adapted to the soil of southern Florida.

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 pouch and try it out.

Prepare to deal with whatever hand nature deals you: You might have no germinating seeds. A critter may snack on the tender seedlings. All the seeds you plant in each hole may sprout, so you'll need to choose the most robust sprouts to survive in a process called thinning. Bugs or garden pests might make a meal out of your seedlings before they take off. 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 rain and sun. Keep your seeds warm with heating 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 real leaves — different from miniature seedling leaves — it's time to 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 space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer as directed. Only apply as much as recommended, as you could burn and kill the plant instead of helping it along.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish off your garden with mulch and compost. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger and stronger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. Mulch and compost 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 a pellet grill or artificial grass to your outdoor space. Shop for the seeds, fertilizer, and soil you need in the aisles of your Port Charlotte Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.