Garden Center at S Cape Coral #6975

It's time to start thinking of spring. We're here to help you 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 directly sow organic seeds into the earth.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting vegetables, 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 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 5 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–5. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, or direct sow. Be sure to read your seed packet for details. If you start seeds 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 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. Miami limestone and sandy soil 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 persimmons, muscadines, blueberries, and red mulberries, they're already adapted to the soil of southern Florida and will grow just fine.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Planting seeds into your garden soil, or using the direct sow method, is an alternative option. There's less tending and planning than growing indoors. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed package and try it.

Your seeds might get washed away or struggle to grow, or rodents or bugs might eat the sprouts. But if you're really fortunate, 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'd like more control over your seedlings' journey or you're eager to get growing, start your seeds indoors instead. 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 sunlight. Keep your seeds cozy with warming 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 tag or stick so you can easily find it among the grass clippings, old leaves, or straw. If your yard is regularly visited by rabbits, squirrels, deer, or chipmunks, 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 all off 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 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 right amount.

Greet the Spring
Early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse our garden center pages to find inspiration on what to plant when the weather warms. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your S Cape Coral Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.