Garden Center at Clinton #2113

Celebrate Springtime Gardening
On beautiful spring days, tidy up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. You can also add beauty and interest with hardscaping, stonework, and water features. Don't forget to clean the shed and sweep out the gazebo in preparation for spring, too. No matter which plants you need and what outdoor projects you choose to tackle, when you search for your local plant nursery, you'll find that The Home Depot Clinton Garden Center can help you enjoy your spring activities to the fullest.

Plant Hardiness Zones Explained
The first thing to know when planting spring flowers, vegetables, and other seeds is your planting zone. Every location in the United States and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA plant hardiness 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. You'll have good results with plants that have your zone number or less. In other words, a Zone 8 garden can support plants listed as Zones 1–8. You can plant seeds indoors roughly a month before you can plant them outside, known as direct sow. Always read your seed packet for details. If you start them later than recommended, it's not ideal, but it should even out as time passes.

Gardening in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest
Much of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest is in Zones 3 through 5. Your best bets for veggies will be root vegetables like carrots and beets, leafy greens including lettuce, and cruciferous veggies like cabbage and kale. You can try squash, too. If you plant outside, prepare to cover outdoor seedlings when late frost is forecast. Planting dates are similar to Zone 4, that is to say, the target is mid-March through May 1st, depending on whether you're starting your seeds indoors or directly sowing them into your garden.

The state of Kansas and slightly north of the state line is in Zone 6, so planting can begin earlier there than farther north. The outdoor growing season doesn't kick off until mid-March or even April, although you can start some veggies by seed halfway through February. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, and other classic garden crops will do well in this region, and most of them can get an early jump on growing indoors before spring truly arrives.

Plant Seeds Outside With Direct Sow
Direct sow, or planting seeds directly into outdoor garden soil, is another way of gardening. If you like to go with the flow, follow the instructions on your seed envelope. Direct sow timeframes are later than indoor planting because the soil needs to be warm enough.

There's more variation with seed survival with direct sow. Your seedlings need to survive storms and hungry rabbits, weather too little sun or too much rain, and obtain proper nutrition. Be ready to deal with whatever nature gives you. If you're lucky, you'll get strong sprouts that grow all spring.

Start Seeds Indoors
You can gain the satisfaction of growing your garden from seeds and save money by starting them indoors in your own plant nursery. We've got all the seed starter supplies you'll need. For best results, you'll want heat mats and grow lights to go with your nursery pots and seed trays. If you're planting a larger garden, use seed trays — like the ones you see sprouts in at your nearest plant nursery — to stay organized and plant tiny soil plugs when the time comes. 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 press 3–5 seeds into the soil at the proper depth. 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.

Watch Over Your Sprouts
When your sprouts aren't ready to go outside, you can still prepare them for outdoor life. These micro-seedlings are fragile — only an inch or so high, with the tiniest seedling leaf or two — but they're resilient. Seedlings don't get all this pampering in nature, so they can handle more than you think. However, your sprouts are still babies, so don't go overboard. You can even use an oscillating fan on low to strengthen their stems by mimicking the wind.

Harden The Seedlings
Once your seedlings have sprouted and are a few inches tall, start hardening them off. Gradually introducing them to the outdoors, strengthening them in the long run. Hardening means your sprouts are less likely to freeze to death during a sudden cold snap.

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. Carefully remove your transplant without pulling on it, keeping it inside its clump of dirt. Place your transplant in the ground, and fill any extra space with nutrient-rich fertilizer and topsoil, then be sure to water it. Never apply more fertilizer than recommended, as adding more 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 get eaten.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Nourish your garden with mulch and compost. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. It may help foster stronger and larger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. Compost and mulch can be purchased in-store, or you can learn how to compost DIY-style. The next time you need "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 landscaping and garden, prepare to fertilize your lawn, and browse your nearest nursery to find inspiration on which spring flowers to plant when the weather warms. For those without lawns, consider adding a pellet grill, artificial grass, or an outdoor rug to your balcony or patio. Shop for the fertilizer, seeds, and soil you need in the aisles of your Clinton Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.