Garden Center at Coit Rd #6504

Set Up For Springtime
On beautiful spring days, tidy up the yard before everything blooms in earnest. Planning your garden lets you make the most of your time and space. Don't forget to sweep out the gazebo and clean the shed 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 Coit Rd 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 U.S. and its territories is sorted into blocks by climate. Find your zone on the USDA growing zone map and learn when to plant seeds and flower bulbs.

For example, you could plant bell pepper seedlings 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: Southwest
If you're in Zone 6–8, check out cole crops and certain herbs if you're ready to get planting. This includes broccoli, cabbage, and kale. Greens like spinach, artichokes, early-blooming annuals like marigolds, and fragrant herbs, including parsley, basil, and oregano, also don't mind an early beginning. Traditional garden vegetables like peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, and tomatoes are fine with an early spring or late winter planting indoors under the grow lights.

Look up the date of your last spring frost, then count backward 6 to 8 weeks. That's when you should start your seeds indoors. The idea is to have strong seedlings that are ready for transplant at the same time the ground is warm enough. Remember to enjoy the process — watching your plants grow, bloom, and put out tiny veggies that'll grow to harvest size is part of the fun.

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 packet. Direct sow timeframes are later than indoor planting because the soil must be warm enough.

There's more variation with seed survival with direct sow. Your seedlings need to survive hungry rodents and storms, weather too much rain or too little sun, and obtain proper nutrition. Be ready to deal with whatever nature gives you. 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 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 rain and sun. Keep your seeds warm with grow lights and heating mats, 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 Your Garden
In quality soil, dig a hole that's bigger than or the same size as 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 topsoil and fertilizer, then water them well without overdoing it. Only apply as much fertilizer as is recommended, as adding more could kill the plant. Consider putting up wire fencing or other protective measures if squirrels, rabbits, deer, or chipmunks visit your yard regularly, as your sprouts may otherwise become a snack.

Protect Your Garden With Mulch
Finish it all off with compost and mulch. Compost enriches the soil so your garden can grow even better. Mulch keeps your soil from drying out and controls weeds. It may help foster stronger and larger plants that bear more fruit and flowers. 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 correct amount.

Greet the Spring
Don't miss a minute of growing season. Prepare to fertilize your lawn, plan your garden, 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, an outdoor rug, or artificial grass to your balcony or patio. Shop for the seeds, soil, and fertilizer you need in the aisles of your Coit Rd Garden Center, online, or on our mobile app. Let's get growing together.