Garden Center at Cascade #130

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
It's time to start thinking of spring. Clean out the shed to prepare for sprouts poking up out of the ground, fragrant breezes, and warmer temperatures. Planting seeds indoors with grow lights means you'll be ready to transplant young veggie plants and spring annuals when the ground thaws and the frosts are through. You might even want to plant seeds directly into the soil. What better way to start than by exploring your favorite local plant nursery?

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to learn when planting spring flowers, veggies, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the United States and its territories is sorted by climate. Find your zone on the USDA zone map and learn when to plant flower bulbs and 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. For best results, choose plants in your zone number or less. In other words, a Zone 6 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–6. The timeframe to direct sow outdoors in your garden is often around a month later than the indoor start date. Always read your seed package for details. If you start them a little later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it will likely even out as time passes.

Gardening in Your Growing Zone: South
The South is in Zones 7 to 9, with coastal regions being the warmest at a Zone 9. The zone number decreases to an 8 as you go farther inland, then to Zone 7 as you go up in elevation to the foothills of the Georgia mountains. Just check your planting zone, then consult the seed packet for the most accurate instructions for each plant. You're in a micro-climate near a lake, valley, or wetland, zoom in on the USDA planting map for precise details down to street level.

In balmy Zone 9 on the coast, you can begin planning and planting indoors in January if you'd like. Zones 7 and 8 generally have a slightly later recommendation for indoor starts. Cole crops and garden favorites, like cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, all do well when started inside your home. Greens like spinach, artichokes, and fragrant herbs, including oregano, basil, and parsley, also don't mind an early start. You can sow flower seeds and watch them mature under the grow lights, too. Whatever you choose to grow, tend them carefully and transplant them when the threat of frost is gone for the season.

Plant Seeds In Your Garden With Direct Sow
Planting seeds into your garden soil, or using the direct sow method, is an alternative 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 could have no germinating seeds or all of them might sprout. A critter might munch the tender seedlings for a snack. 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.

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 pouch, but that's where the similarities end. Seed trays make it easier to transplant later.

You're responsible for giving them quality substitutes for sunlight and rain. 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
In quality soil, dig a hole that's the same size or bigger than your plant's dirt plug. Place your transplant in the ground, and fill any extra space with nutrient-rich topsoil. Apply fertilizer if desired inside the plant hole before planting or on top of the dirt, then give it a generous drink without overwatering. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as too much could burn the plant. Consider putting up garden fencing or other protective measures if squirrels, rabbits, deer, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Enrich Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden bed with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. Mulch controls weeds and keeps your soil from drying out. It may help foster stronger plants that bear more flowers and fruit. Compost and mulch can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to make compost DIY-style. The next time you need "mulch near me," stop by the Garden Center to get the right amount.

Greet the Spring
Late winter into early spring is an exciting time in the world of gardening. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden and landscaping, and browse your nearest plant nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding artificial grass, a pellet grill, or an outdoor rug to your balcony. Shop for the soil, fertilizer, and seeds you need in the aisles of your Cascade Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.