Garden Center at Coral Springs #284

It's time to start thinking of spring. We're here to help you 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 ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to directly sow organic seeds into the earth.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing you should 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 planting 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. The plants that'll thrive in your area are in your zone, and all the zones numbered less than that. In other words, a Zone 5 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–5. The timeframe to direct sow outdoors in your garden is often around a month later than the indoor start date. Read your seed packet for details. If you start seeds later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will likely even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone
Your climate is excellent for growing year-round if you've got rich 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 strawberries, green beans, and spinach, you have a wide variety of options. Your garden might still be growing if there's 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, red mulberries, and blueberries, they're already adapted to the soil of southern Florida and will grow just fine.

Start Seeds Indoors
Save money when you grow your garden from seeds by starting them indoors. 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 Coral Springs Garden Center — to make it easy to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs later. You can also use pots with seed starter mix and potting soil.

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. That way, you'll know where your seeds should pop up. Otherwise, it'll be a surprise when the sprouts push out of the soil.

Sprouts
Prepare your seed sprouts for outdoor life while they're still indoors. 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 fan on low to mimic the wind and strengthen their stems.

Harden Your Seedlings
Once your seedlings have sprouted and are a few inches tall, start hardening them off. This process of gradually introducing them to the outdoors makes 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
Place your transplants in the ground, then give them a generous drink of water — without drowning it. Blanket the surrounding ground with mulch, marking where the plant is with a tag 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 it off with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster larger and stronger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Mulch controls weeds and keeps the soil moist. Compost and mulch 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 perfect 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. Plan your garden and landscaping, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse our garden center pages to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Coral Springs Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.